Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 4, 2021

Contact: Taylor Mayes, Communications Manager, (203) 499-9295, taylor@ctclimateandjobs.org
Allison Pilcher, Policy Director, (802) 777-3871, allison@ctclimateandjobs.org

Connecticut Passes SB 999, Climate and Community Investment Act

The Climate and Community Investment Act Ensures Just Transition to Clean Energy Economy by Protecting Rights of Renewable Energy Industry Workers

HARTFORD — On Thursday, June 3, the Connecticut Senate passed the Climate and Community Investment Act (SB 999), historic legislation that will combat climate change while creating good union jobs, sending the bill to Governor Lamont for his signature. The Connecticut House of Representatives passed SB 999 on Tuesday with an overwhelming majority (89-59).

SB 999 will help transition Connecticut to a low-carbon, renewable energy economy that creates good, union jobs. The legislation is the first in the nation to require all large-scale renewable energy projects in the state to pay workers prevailing wages, support workforce development through participation in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, and create community benefits agreements

The passage of SB 999 is a testament to the power and diversity of the CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs’s coaliton, which brings together labor unions, environmentalists, community organizations, social justice organizations, interreligious groups, climate justice organizations, and students to rally around the need for good-paying green jobs in the state.

“As Connecticut makes strides towards a clean energy economy, it is essential that we protect the workers helping to create a more sustainable future for us all. The Senate passage of SB 999 is a key step towards a climate-friendly economy that guarantees workers’ rights, enables career development for workers from marginalized communities, and ensures that Connecticut will reap the economic benefits of green projects conducted in their communities,” said Aziz Dehkan, Executive Director of the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs.

While defending the bill on the Senate floor, Julie Kushner, Senate Chair of Labor and Public Employees Committee stated, “For me, SB 999 is a really important bill because I fully understand the need for us to transition to renewable energy sources, for the good of the planet, for the good of future generations, and for the good of my grandkids. This bill shows that not only are we committed to the planet’s future, but also to workers and their families.”

“The passage of SB 999 demonstrates Connecticut’s commitment to a just transition to a low-carbon economy. It demonstrates that we don’t need to choose between renewable energy and family-sustaining jobs—we can and should have both,” said Allison Pilcher, Policy Director at the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs.

Representative Robyn Porter, House Chair of Labor and Public Employees Committee said, “It gave me great pleasure to lead the passage of SB999 in the House of Representatives. This bill will level the playing field for many of our workers and provide a just transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy. It truly is a win-win for employers, employees, our environment, children and families – and I couldn’t have done it without my team and you all know who you are!”

“SB 999 illustrates the opportunity we have to create good-paying prevailing wage jobs as we address climate change through green infrastructure projects,” said David Roche, President of the CT State Building Trades Council.

Many renewable energy employers in Connecticut pay low wages and bring in workers and contractors from out-of-state. SB 999 would address these gaps by creating good jobs for the state’s most disadvantaged communities and protecting workers and communities that may lose employment in the state’s clean energy transition. Specifically, the bill provides for:

“Prevailing Wages: SB 999 will require prevailing wages for construction workers and operations and maintenance workers on Connecticut renewable energy projects with a nameplate capacity of 2 MW or more. The bill is the first state legislation to require all large scale renewable energy projects to require prevailing wages for operations and maintenance workers, ensuring that the permanent, full-time jobs created in the renewable economy pay good, family-sustaining wages.”
Workforce Development: SB 999 will ensure renewable energy projects create middle-class careers for Connecticut residents from disadvantaged communities by requiring developers to partner with approved in-state apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
Community Benefits Agreement: SB 999 will ensure that host communities of renewable energy projects receive real benefits from renewable energy projects by requiring developers to negotiate community benefits agreements. This codifies the industry best practice for community outreach.

SB 999 would raise Connecticut to the same renewable energy labor standards its neighboring states, New Jersey and New York State, have established. Connecticut already required the payment of prevailing wages on offshore wind projects, and SB 999 will ensure similar labor standards are applied to all large-scale renewable energy projects.

About Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs
Launched in 2012, CRCJ seeks to build a worker-oriented environmental movement committed to securing a fair and just transition that protects not only the environment but also the