Long

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Long Island Sound
It is unique and we love it!
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Long Island Sound Challenges

• Development pressures
• Coastal Management

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Long Island Sound Challenges

• Threats from Energy projects
• Industrialization of the Sound

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Latest Challenge Climate Change
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Weve reached a Tipping Point
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Impacts of Climate Change on Long Island Sound
LIS Fall water temperature 1976 2006
NU monitoring data at Millstone Point
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Impacts of Climate Change on Long Island Sound

• Living Resources Impacts
• Lobsters
• Shellfish
• Finfish

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Lobster Landings
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LIS Spring Trawl Survey Cold-water Species
Richness Trend
CT DEP, Marine Fisheries Division, Spring Indices
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LIS Fall Trawl Survey Warm-water Species Richness
Trend
CT DEP, Marine Fisheries Division, Fall Indices
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Impacts of Climate Change on Long Island Sound
Living Resources Impacts

• Invasive plants
• Tidal Marsh subsidence and sea level rise

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Sea Level Rise Is it Real and So What?
If its rising to our north and rising to our
south, then its most likely rising in the Sound.
New England Integrated Sciences Assessment, UNH
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Potential LossesCoastal Property Exposure Over
1 Trillion
References Insurance Information Institute Photo
- New England Hurricane of 1938. Bushnell Park
in Hartford, CT. 6 billion in US
damages with nearly 700 fatalities. An identical
Category 5 hurricane today would cost an
estimated 23.5 billion in damages
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Shoreline Retreat in Response to Rising Sea Level
Typical rates of shoreline retreat in Connecticut
(a low wave energy environment) averages between
1 and 3 feet per year. This rate should increase
commensurate with forecast increases in sea level
rise.
CT DEP Office of Long Island Sound Programs
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CT DEP Office of Long Island Sound Programs
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Public Policy Challenges of Adaptation

• Protecting shoreline properties
• What will property owners be permitted to do?
• What is role of government?
• Rescuing our infrastructure
• Roads, treatment plants, power plants, rail lines

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Connecticut Accomplishments

• Clean car regulations 30 reduction by 2015
• Renewable Portfolio Standard 14 by 2010
• Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Funds
• RGGI cap and trade program for power plants
• P.A. 08-98 (HB 5600) 80 reduction by 2050
• Founder of The Climate Registry
• Actions/incentives for state residents Clean
  Energy Option, sales tax exemptions, solar grants

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Connecticut Accomplishments

• Individuals taking action-Climate Change
  Leadership Awards.
• Climate change Action Plan 2003-05.
• Governors initiatives on Responsible Growth and
  CTs Energy Vision that move climate efforts
  forward.
• Huge investments in mass transit.

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Connecticut is ChoosingClean Energy

• 17 clean energy in new contract for state
  government electricity, 18 cost savings
• 60 towns in CT have committed to buy 20 clean
  energy by 2020
• Over 15,500 CT customers are on the CT Clean
  Energy Option
• www.ctinnovations.com/communities

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Connecticut is Using Cleaner Transportation

• Over 3 billion allocated for public transit
  improvements
• Over 140 hybrid vehicles in the state fleet
• Over 170 businesses participate in Telecommute CT
• Ride Share, CT Transit, Metro North, Bike to Work
• Bike racks on Greater Hartford buses

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Connecticut is Buying Locally Grown Foods

• Campus dining halls Yale, UConn
• Farm-to-School - Over 50 CT schools buy from over
  40 local farmers

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To lower your energy costs and protect the
environment, Do one thing.
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Whats Your OneThingto Combat Climate Climate
Change?

• Select the Clean Energy Option
• Use mass transit or van pool to work
• Buy a hybrid or fuel efficient car
• Recycle
• Support green businesses and local farmers
• Encourage strong action at state and federal level

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The longer we wait, the more it is going to cost
us

• We initiated actions to reduce smoking when the
  causal link between tobacco and cancer was much
  less certain than the link between anthropogenic
  greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

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Time for Action

• It may not be easy being green, but together, we
  as individuals, groups, businesses, governments,
  etc CAN make a difference and we need to start
  NOW!