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| Dear Neighbor,
I hope you're all doing well. We have some warm days ahead, so let's remember to stay cool and hydrated. I am pleased to share that our state has joined the U.S. Department of Energies Better Climate Challenge. We're serious about climate change in Connecticut. Joining 50 other organizations across the country is confirmation. You can read more about it below along with an investment the state is making in affordable electric heat pumps. Please keep scrolling for more news, including a special honor I received from the Connecticut Education Association.
Have a great weekend,
Travis
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| Connecticut has joined the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge, becoming one of more than 50 organizations across the United States stepping up to the challenge and driving real-world action toward a low-carbon future. |
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| As Connecticut undertakes this challenge, DOE will support its efforts with technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and a platform for the organization to demonstrate its commitment to being part of the solution to climate change. If you would like to read more, please click HERE. |
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| Connecticut will get up to $100 million to help speed up the process of attaining more affordable electric heat pumps installed throughout the state. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $450 million to a coalition of states, including Connecticut, known as the New England Heat Pump Accelerator Coalition. The goal is to increase the number of cold-climate air-source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and ground-source heat pumps in single-family and multi-family homes. These heat pumps reduce emissions, provide significant health benefits, and deliver energy savings.
The coalition will work collaboratively to promote the development of heat pump skill sets in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, and electrical workforce. It also intends to invest about 50% of the benefits in historically overburdened and underserved communities. |
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| Additionally, the coalition will partner with heat pump manufacturers, distributors, and installers to increase the availability of air-source and ground-source heat pumps while lowering equipment and installation costs for consumers. This partnership will include significant investment in workforce training, ensuring installers will have access to good-paying careers while delivering more efficient heating and cooling solutions. To learn more, please click HERE. |
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The Connecticut Education Association (CEA), the state's largest group of public school teachers, has a "Report Card" system that evaluates legislators’ voting records, advocacy, and efforts to advance the organization's priorities over the two-year legislative cycle, including preserving collective bargaining, protecting pensions and supporting policies that enhance public education. Please click on the image below to see how I fared.
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| CT Summer Meals sites provide healthy meals to ALL CT children 18 and under! No paperwork or proof of immigration status is needed - no questions asked. For a list of Norwalk Public Schools meals distribution sites, please click HERE. |
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| I wanted to remind you that Microtransit services have begun in various communities throughout Connecticut, including Norwalk. These services are part of a pilot program in which nine transit districts and municipalities were awarded funding through the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) to develop and pilot an on-demand microtransit service.
This program is like having a Lyft or Uber pick you up from home or wherever you are in SoNo and drop you off within the district for only $2. I believe this is an awesome program and would be a reliable transit service for residents. |
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| To take advantage of the program, please download and log into the Wheels 2U application. You’ll be prompted to create an account using your current (or new) credentials, add your payment info again, and then book your next ride. You can schedule and request rides within Norwalk 7 days a week - Monday - Wednesday: 7 am - 7 pm; Thursday- Friday: 7 am-11 pm; Saturdays: 1 pm-12 am; Sundays: 1-9 pm.
Routes include anywhere within Norwalk and also connect with the following services: NTD fixed route buses, Metro-North Train Stations, and CTtransit Route 341. |
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| I found this story to be quite interesting. What a nice option for Norwalk residents to get to the beach! Click on the article below to read more. |
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As always, feel free to call me at 1-800-842-8267 or email me at Travis.Simms@cga.ct.gov if you have any questions or concerns. Also, please like my official Facebook Page for regular updates.
Sincerely,
Travis Simms
State Representative |
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