SB 4 Public Hearing (Energy-efficient retrofits in Environmental Justice Communities)

​SB 4​ Connecticut's Present and Future Housing Needs

The Public Hearing Agenda has links for the registration to testify, submit written testimony, and to the live youtube hearing. You must register to testify in person or virtually by 3pm on Sunday, February 27th. It is recommended that you submit written testimony by February 28th.

Basics

• Committee Leadership: Co-Chairs Sen. Moore and Rep. Luxenberg, Vice Chairs Sen. Lesser and Rep. Khan, and Ranking Members Sen. Sampson and Rep. Scott
• Mention your strong support.

Section 21: Pilot Grant Program for Multifamily Retrofits

Intro

• Bill would establish a pilot grant program for retrofitting multifamily (5+ units) residences built before 1980 in environmental justice communities including remediating health and safety barriers.
• It allocates $1 Billion over 5 years.

Talking Points

• Strongly support investing in retrofitting residences in Connecticut's environmental justice communities that have some of the highest energy burden in the nation, and are exposed to higher than average levels of air pollution.
• Strongly support including the remediation of health and safety barriers that currently prevent environmental justice communities from accessing energy efficiency programs that their energy bills help to fund.
• Recommend that 1-4 unit properties be also included as these are typically less energy efficient and have less access to funding - Multifamily buildings are inherently more energy efficient due to compact massing, smaller unit sizes, and more shared walls.
• Recommend neighborhood scale implementation to have the largest impact and achieve a marked improvement to air quality in environmental justice areas that experience higher than average levels of asthma.