Sierra Club Statement on Connecticut House Passage of H.B. 5004

HARTFORD, Conn. –Today, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed House Bill 5004, An Act Concerning the Protection of the Environment and the Development of Renewable Energy Sources and Associated Job Sectors, as a small step toward jumpstarting a cleaner, more resilient future.

“After two years without action on climate in the Connecticut legislature, we are encouraged by House Bill 5004, and hope it is the beginning of a new commitment to address the causes of climate change and its costly impacts on people in our state,” said Samantha Dynowski, State Director of Sierra Club’s Connecticut Chapter. 

H.B. 5004 updates emissions reduction targets, requires planning for the deployment of efficient, cost-saving technologies like heat pumps and solar canopies, requires planning for state buildings to heat without carbon emissions, and directs DEEP to study and make recommendations for renter accessibility for clean energy programs. 

These measures lay the groundwork for broader action — but some key components were removed during the legislative process. The Future of Gas study and thermal energy networks were stripped from the bill. These tools are essential to modernizing Connecticut’s energy system and ensuring families and businesses benefit from low-cost, climate-friendly solutions.

A Future of Gas study would examine how Connecticut’s gas infrastructure, planning, and business models must evolve in response to the state’s climate laws. This process is critical to managing responsible, cost-effective investments in alignment with state policy, and has been undertaken in other states including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Washington D.C., California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Colorado, and Minnesota. Delaying or undercutting this work risks higher costs and continued overinvestment in infrastructure we cannot use long-term.

Thermal Energy Networks offer a safe, highly efficient, and non-combusting alternative to gas pipelines. By using ground-source thermal loops to provide heating and cooling, these systems can reduce utility bills, eliminate indoor air pollution, and create good local jobs. Connecticut should be piloting and scaling this proven technology, especially in environmental justice communities.

“Sierra Club urges Senate leadership to include these removed provisions in Senate Bill 4, the Senate Democrats’ priority energy legislation. Including a Future of Gas study and Thermal Energy Networks will help ensure Connecticut is on a path toward forward-looking, renewable, cost-effective energy reform,” said Samantha Dynowski, State Director of Sierra Club’s Connecticut Chapter.