April 10th, 2018

Tuesday April 17th 11AM- 4PM Legislative Office Building Rm 2C

It's here: the key Public Hearing for CT's first State Water Plan. Four committees of cognizance (Public Health, Environment, Planning & Development and Energy & Technology) will decide whether the plan is forwarded to the General Assembly for adoption. It should be a "no-brainer":

• Over a year of effort and a million dollars worth of in-depth work by multiple expert stakeholders
• Detailed, centralized information on the state's water resources
• Development of priorities for our state's water, some of which include maintaining CT's highest quality drinking water, protection of watershed lands, increased conservation, updated drought planning, safe levels of water for our streams and rivers, and improved scientific data collection
• Creation of a platform for making informed decisions which balance "in-stream needs" for the environment with "out of stream needs" for humans and the economy...and one which provides only guidance, not statutory mandates

Yet, the draft plan is now being opposed by water utilities, the business lobby, and anti-regulatory interests.....all because CT residents overwhelmingly requested the plan include a reference to water as a public trust resource. The demand that the plan remove any mention of "public trust", would threaten our state's long held policy, ALREADY-EXISTING in CT Gen Statute Sec. 22a-15 that: "It is hereby found and declared that there is a public trust in the air, water, and other natural resources of the state"...
As federal regulations protecting our environment are eviscerated, it's ever more important that we let our officials know: water belongs to us all and is our most important resource.

HELP ASK the COMMITTEES to PASS the STATE WATER PLAN AS DRAFTED!

1. Write a brief statement and save it as a word or pdf document. Attach it to an email addressed to phtestimony@cga.ct.gov. Submit it by 2 pm on Friday April 13th.
2. Come to hearing at 11 AM on Tuesday April 17th at the Legislative Office Building: Room 2C at 300 Capitol Ave. Wear your blue Save Our Water CT Button to let legislators know we're watching. Free parking at the L.O.B. can be tough; you may need to arrive early, find on-street parking, or take public transport.
3. If you plan to testify, sign up begins at 9:00 AM in the L.O.B. lobby.
4. Further details of the plan, its Executive Summary and a 2 page description of key topics can be seen at the Water Planning Council's website.

Thanks for acting. If the plan is not passed as is, our public voices may be left out!

Judy Allen for the Save Our Water CT Steering Committee
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