Buckbee Testifies on Public Safety, Infrastructure, and Energy Initiatives

HARTFORD – State Rep. Billy Buckbee, who represents the community of New Milford, participated in several public hearings this week at the State Capitol. Buckbee supported a range of initiatives, which spanned from providing greater recovery resources to overdose victims to re-introducing commuter rail service to New Milford. Additionally, Buckbee advocated for a new class of energy resource alongside State Sen. Craig Miner (R-Litchfield).

Addressing Instances of Expected Overdose

Buckbee testified in support of HB 5583 – An Act Concerning Emergency Intervention by a Police Officer When a Person Suffers an Overdose. The spirit of this new law would be for police officers to provide better care to individuals that are believed to be overdosing. Essentially, the provision would ensure that individuals are brought to medical care facilities in the event an opioid antagonist is administered.

“We continue to put the pieces of the puzzle together in addressing this crisis,” Buckbee explained. “There are so many angles to consider, but this particular legislation will provide an immediate solution to both law enforcement and those struggling with addiction. Requiring rehabilitation measures before legal repercussions are even considered is much more productive for all stakeholders, especially to those who need a little help to break their daily cycle of drug usage.”

Buckbee continues to push several other bills this session that address rehabilitation center qualifications, strengthen penalties on those who deal lethal doses of narcotics, and provide resources to those seeking help.

Re-introducing Commuter Rail to New Milford

The pandemic has severely undercut the usage of commuter rail, but according to Rep. Buckbee these rail services will be needed again by Connecticut residents very soon.
Buckbee testified in support of two bills, SB 576 and his individual proposed bill, HB 5085 – An Act Studying the Use of Hybrid Trains on the Metro-North Commuter Railroad. Buckbee went on to say, “This is an important issue for not only my district but for our entire state if we want to remain competitive with neighboring states, a robust transportation system is one of the best ways to accomplish that goal.”

Buckbee noted that the overall upfront costs for hybrid trains are higher than conventional locomotives, but in the long-run the state would save money on operational costs. The state stands to gain economic stability by growing the connectivity from the rural suburbs of Connecticut to the New York Metro area, which in-turn will attract more businesses and make commuting more convenient.

Class III Energy Sources

Buckbee joined his Senatorial colleague, Craig Miner, to testify in support of HB 6527 – An Act Concerning the Total Output of Class III resources. The new law would require an increase from 4% to 5% of output from Class III energy sources.

According to the legislators’ joint testimony, in 2006 New Milford’s Kimberly-Clark replaced its old on-site steam boilers with a new combined Heat and Power Plant. This plant meets 100 percent of its energy need and provides an energy surplus that is exported to the grid.

Built at a cost of $56.5 million, the Renewable Energy Credit eligibility was a critical component in constructing this unit. It is important to note that the company’s combined Heat and Power Plant replaced its former greenhouse gas-intensive utility base load generation and on-site steam boilers for a net annual reduction of 8,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

The passage of this new law will protect the employees of Kimberly-Clark and continue to keep Connecticut’s business competitive in a global market.

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