Lawmakers Form Long Island Sound Caucus

This information was provided by the state legislators in a prepared release:

A 12-member, bipartisan group of Connecticut state legislators have teamed up to form the steering committee for the new Long Island Sound caucus that will address environmental, energy and economic issues impacting the Sound. The steering committee is comprised of six representatives and six senators. Caucus membership will be open to all legislators.

The legislators forming the LIS caucus steering committee are:

• • State Representatives Lonnie Reed (D) (steering committee co-chair)
  • State Representative Vincent Candelora (R) (steering committee co-chair)
  • State Representative Patricia Widlitz  (D)
  • State Representative Elissa Wright (D)
  • State Representative Clark Chapin (R)
  • State Representative Marilyn Giuliano (R)
  • State Senator Andrew Maynard (D) (steering committee co-chair)
  • State Senator Edward Meyer (D)
  • State Senator Len Fasano (R) (steering committee co-chair)
  • State Senator Scott Frantz (R)
  • State Senator John McKinney (R)
  • State Senator Eileen Daily (D)
  
  

The original 12 members of the caucus represent shoreline communities; others have worked in the past with New York to defeat the Broadwater floating Liquid Natural Gas plant proposed for Long Island Sound.   The Broadwater issue will serve as a model for future caucus efforts to address regional differences, solve regional problems and meet regional needs.

Goals of the caucus include:

•  
  • Economic development and job growth opportunities 
  • Attracting maritime businesses while solving the inevitable dredging conflicts that accompany such ambitions. 
  • Environmental issues--reducing run-offs from storm water and other pollutants; protecting the sound's beaches, water quality, the shellfish industry, storm preparation, future shoreline development, zoning, insurance, homeowner rights, seawalls, breakwaters
  • Bi-state cooperation with New York
  • Advocating for focused legislation
  • Acquiring important coastal areas for public use
  • Expanding improvement bonding beyond marinas to things like ferries, expand the clean marina program to "clean maritime programs"....other waterfront areas, ferries, docks etc...work on incentives for doing environmentally beneficial projects
  • Supporting federal asks for projects and funding that are critical to CT (NOAA, LIS Restoration Fund, Clean Water State Revolving Fund, etc.)
  • Meeting the 2014 deadline for nitrogen reductions
  • Protecting lobsters (prohibit insecticides from water)
  
  

Some examples of pending legislation during the current legislative session include:

• SB 220, An Act Concerning Navigation, Coastal Access and Clean Marinas.  Connecting some existing programs to existing funding that can help clean up LIS.  Small marinas that earn the Clean Marinas certification will be given additional consideration when applying for DOT dredging funds.
• HB 5128, An Act Concerning Certain Revisions to the Coastal Zone Management Statutes.
• SB 376, An Act Concerning the Coastal Management Act and Shoreline Flood and Erosion Control Structures.
• Pharmaceutical drop boxes