Gov. Malloy Vetoes a Bill that Could Have Led to the Use of ATV’s in State Parks: Good News from Hartford

There’s good news today out of Hartford, where Gov. Malloy has vetoed a bill that could have ultimately allowed the use of all-terrain vehicles on state parks and other state lands. His veto letter is below.

We opposed the bill because of the damage widespread use of ATV’s can cause to wildlife habitat (there’s more here in a blog post from a couple of weeks ago).

The bill – S.B. 190/Public Act 13-237 – would have mandated the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to carry out an obsolete, never-implemented policy for use of ATV’s on state lands. Tacked on to an unrelated bill concerning moving companies, it made it through the General Assembly at the end of this year’s session, and was never the subject of public review or debate.

The veto demonstrates beautifully how conservationists, working together, can call attention to what would have been bad public policy, and can help persuade those in power to make the right decision.

More than two dozen of our members and supporters let us know that they had contacted the governor, asking for a veto, and we’re sure that many others did the same without telling us.

The Connecticut Forest and Parks Association led the conservation organizations, which included Audubon Connecticut, the Connecticut Land Conservation Council, the Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commissions and  Sierra Club-Connecticut Chapter.

Nice job all around! We commend Gov. Malloy for making the right decision. — Tom Andersen, director of communications and community outreach.