Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed an executive order he says will double down on the state’s plan to address climate change.
Lamont announced the order at a forum with Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes.
“Used to be a 100-year storm is now becoming a 50-year storm, is now becoming a 10-year storm. And if we don’t take care of that, it’s gonna be Hurricane Sandy times three, and the cost to this state will be devastating.”
Lamont asked the department to find ways to transition to a 100% renewable energy grid by the year 2040. The state’s previous goal was 2050.
“We’re accelerating what we have to do in terms of resiliency, what we have to do in terms of all our substations and Amtrak and the water treatment, all of which are at risk, all of which are in the floodplain.”
The order will also expand the responsibilities of the Governor’s Council on Climate Change to include areas like agriculture and public health. Former governor Dannel Malloy established the council in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
