Stamford Advocate on Carbon Cap, 2.13.08 Press

Mayor calls on city to adopt energy, CO2 commitments

By Alexandra Fenwick
Staff Writer

February 13, 2008

NORWALK - Mayor Richard Moccia, in a city hall news conference yesterday, put his support behind a coalition to increase energy efficiency and curb statewide carbon emissions.

In a room packed with environmental advocates and state legislators - and symbolically lit by only two light bulbs - Moccia joined Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy in signing on to the Stop Global Warming Connecticut Campaign.

"We're doing our part," Moccia said.

The campaign seeks state laws that would mandate a cap on pollution that causes global warming, cutting emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and at least 80 percent by 2050, following similar legislation in California and New Jersey.

In 2000, Connecticut was responsible for 47 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

A 2004 state law, An Act Concerning Climate Change, made the 2020 and 2050 targets Connecticut's goal, but concrete actions are needed to make them a reality, said Charles Rothenberger, staff attorney for the Connecticut Fund for the Environment.

"The debate is really over about climate change and global warming. There's clear recognition that we have a moral obligation to address (the issue)," Rothenberger said.

Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, ranking member of the Environment Committee, said the bill to impose the carbon emissions cap will be raised in committee this week and will come up for public hearing in March.

"It's not a partisan issue, it's not a political issue anymore, it's a human issue," said state Rep. Christopher Perone, D-Norwalk.

McKinney and Perone were joined at the event by House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk; state Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk; and state Rep. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton.

Alice Liddell, a policy analyst for the nonprofit Environment Northeast, outlined policies that would help impose the cap, including promoting the use of biofuels, expanding passenger and freight rail systems to get more cars and trucks off roads and improving appliance efficiency standards.

Moccia recommends the Common Council adopt a resolution committing to the clean energy campaign and to make city buildings more efficient.

The campaign makes fiscal, environmental and health sense, especially when heating and fuel costs are skyrocketing, he said.

"The idea is, in addition to the environmental benefits, for the taxpayers and individuals to save money," Moccia said.

He cited the city's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Norwalk City Hall's Energy Star certification by the EPA, $250,000 in energy efficiency funds awarded to Brien McMahon High School and a $2 million co-generator included in the $42 million Norwalk High School renovation to reduce energy costs there.

"We need the state of Connecticut to do our part, so we can say, 'We're doing it in Connecticut, you need to do it,' " McKinney said.

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