Issues & Action > Public Policy Priorities >

1. Audubon Connecticut will take a lead role lobbying for:

Wildlife Diversity

State

• Securing state funding to support education of both nursery growers and consumers regarding the threat from and alternatives to invasive plant species; expanding enforcement authority to the Department of Agriculture and to the Agricultural Experimental Station; and enacting phased in bans on those invasive species that are both highly invasive and on which no research is ongoing.
• Increasing funding for DEP’s wildlife programs, especially funding for grassland protection and other actions that support bird conservation

Federal

• Increasing funding for State Wildlife Grants under the Conservation Trust Fund

Long Island Sound

State

• Restoring funding for the Connecticut Clean Water Act
• Establishing funding to support LIS Stewardship

Federal

• Supporting passage of the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act

Habitat Protection

State

• Increasing funding for land conservation programs including the Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Fund; the Municipal Open Space and Watershed Matching Grants Program; and the Farmland Purchase of Development Rights Program

Federal

• Securing funding for open space land acquisition and habitat management through the Conservation Trust Fund including State Wildlife Grants, Land and Water Conservation or other federal funding to protect:
  • Long Beach, Stratford and Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport as additions to the Great Meadows Unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge

Connecticut's Environmental Laws

State

• Requiring environmental review of state-owned lands prior to their sale or donation for development

Organizational Objectives

Federal

• Seeking federal funding through programs such as Community Development Block Grants for Audubon Centers and Sanctuaries

2. Audubon Connecticut will support lobbying for:

Wildlife Diversity

State

• Extending the prohibition on cosmetic use of lawn care pesticides extends to all pre-K through grade 8 schools as a next step toward reducing pesticide exposure for birds and other wildlife

Long Island Sound

Federal

• Opposing the proposed Broadwater LNG re-gassification facility pending results of environment assessment and review

Habitat Protection

State

• Increasing funding to protect privately-owned public water supply watershed lands through development of the Clean Water Investment Fund or other strategies

Federal

• Supporting funding for open space land acquisition and habitat management through the Conservation Trust Fund including State Wildlife Grants, Land and Water Conservation or other federal funding to protect:
  • Horse Island, Branford as an addition to the McKinney Refuge
  • Menunketesuck Island, Westbrook as an addition to the McKinney Refuge
  • Conte Refuge, special focus areas along the Connecticut River
  • Monitor Highlands Stewardship Act

Legislative Contact: Sandy Breslin, Director of Governmental Affairs, at sbreslin@audubon.org

Audubon Connecticut, a part of the National Audubon Society with more than 10,000 members in the state, works to protect birds, other wildlife and their habitats through education, research and conservation, and legislative advocacy.