Testimony in strong support of An Act Concerning Climate Change Adaptation

The Long Island Sound Shore was battered by Superstorm Sandy. Photo courtesy of Rory Parcell.

Testimony of the Connecticut Audubon Society to the Environment Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly in strong support of HB 6441, An Act Concerning Climate Change Adaptation

March 7, 2021

The Connecticut Audubon Society thanks the Committee and the sponsors of HB 6441, An Act Concerning Climate Change Adaptation for proposing this important resolution and for the opportunity to express our strong support. This proposal is a key part of the implementation plan for the Governor’s Council on Climate Change. Climate change is an over-arching threat to the wildlife and people of Connecticut and we applaud you for proposing this important measure. Of particular importance is section 3, which would enable municipalities that opt into a program to establish a novel funding source for climate resilience projects including land acquisition and stewardship, activities that are critical for the preservation of the quality of life within our communities and the state.

We have consistently supported efforts by the General Assembly to increase the pace of land conservation in Connecticut, and we note that the state is still significantly behind in our goal to have 21% of the state’s land protected by this year. Land preservation on a significant scale requires consistent funding and passage of this act will help to provide this in the towns that choose to participate in the program.

We are confident that for the towns in the pilot program the transfer fee authorized by section 3 of HB 6441 would quickly become a consistent source of funding for municipalities to buy, preserve and manage land. Additional municipalities would likely see this success and would want to take advantage of this program as well in the future.

Similar programs have been immensely effective in New York, Massachusetts and other states. We firmly believe this funding mechanism will succeed on its own and will open the door to greater land conservation and management efforts statewide.

A critical aspect of this bill is the provision that would allow funding to be utilized for activities beyond acquisition alone. It is a common misconception that once land is protected the job is done. Preserved land requires stewardship, including habitat management and restoration, successional management and invasive species monitoring and remediation. Certain parcels may also require specific stewardship actions targeting individual species or groups of species, e.g. predator exclosure cages for Piping Plover nests or psychological string-fencing for other beach nesting birds. The funds provided through this program would allow the participating municipalities to enact such needed efforts on existing open space, activities which are normally difficult to fund through existing funding sources.

Patrick M. Comins, Executive Director