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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Environmentalists Condemn Proposed Raids on Energy Funds

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Thursday, September 28, 2017   

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Environmental advocates say state legislators should not try to balance the budget by raiding funds that protect air quality and support clean energy and energy efficiency.

The Republican 2-year budget, passed with some Democratic support, would take $10 million a year from the Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative, and $13 million a year from the Green Bank. But Louis Burch, Connecticut program director with Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said these are critical programs necessary to help the state meet its clean energy goals.

"We look at this as a hidden tax on ratepayers because these are ratepayer-funded programs that are dedicated to fund specific clean energy initiatives in our state,” Burch said.

The state is trying to close a $5.1 billion budget gap. House Minority Leader Themis Klarides has said she had to choose between cutting those programs or cutting social services for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Burch contends that while taking money from RGGI or the Green Bank may be easy, it's not smart, and it's not the way for the state to meet its obligations.

"The answer to budget shortfalls is not to steal money from another pot,” he said. "It's to come up with a reliable funding source for those services that you hold at such a high premium."

Legislators and Gov. Dannel Malloy want to balance the budget without raising taxes.

Burch pointed out, the funds they want to take are also important to Connecticut's economy. He estimates that every dollar invested in the Green Bank, leverages $8 of private investment in developing renewable energy sources.

"So you're talking about something that drives significant private investment in our state, helps to build jobs, while also helping us to meet our clean energy goals,” Burch said.

The governor has said he will veto the Republican budget. The Democratic budget proposal would cut more than $31 million from the state's Clean Energy Fund.


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