Energy, environmental, and economic policy must be integrated, if society is to successfully navigate the myriad social and economic challenges of the 21st century, according to Daniel C. Esty, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
Esty made his remarks during a talk, “Integrating Energy and Environmental Policy: The Path Forward for Protecting Our Natural Resources and Building our Economy” at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center Dec. 8. His presentation was part of the Edwin Way Teale Lecture Series.
Esty noted that Connecticut has recently realigned the state’s former Department of Environmental Protection to include the Department of Public Utilities Control and an energy policy group from the state’s Office of Policy and Management.
This realignment is part of his goal to make an energy/environment interface a core element of business strategy, and to assist businesses in realizing significant cost-saving opportunities through eco-efficiency.
“Our mission is to focus on the integration of energy and the environment,” he said. “The key to success is to get other people to carry the ball downfield for you. The environmental world is too small to work alone; we need transportation forces, city planners, experts in agriculture … everyone to work together in a partnership. That’s the only way we’re going to get where we need to go.”
An advocate for greater transparency in government, Esty said making the regulatory burden lighter would not only help businesses, but also promote environmental protection. Among the issues he has already addressed is red-tape involved in obtaining various types of construction permits in the state.
“It’s not the answers [that business finds problematic], it’s the unpredictability,” he said. “The more transparency you have and the quicker you provide answers, a lot of business opposition to environmental protection goes away.”
He also called for a ‘technology race’ for renewable power in this country to ensure that a wide array of energy options get pushed to the starting gate. While not a fan of corn-based ethanol as an energy source, he said all the options must be considered, including second-generation biofuel, solar, nuclear, wind, and hydro power, as well as fossil fuel.
“We don’t want the government to pick a winner,” he said. “We need to take advantage of opportunities in the marketplace, to engage competitive pressures to bring about energy efficiency at an affordable price.”
On a more local level, and in the wake of tropical storm Irene and the October snowstorm, he said the state needs to take a hard look at its infrastructure. He also advocated the establishment of micro-grids: “Every town center should have auxiliary power for a gas station, a grocery store, a police station, and a warming center to keep critical services available for citizens in need.”
Noting that DEEP’s goals are to provide incentives, innovation, and integration in the area of environmental and economic outreach, Esty said a fourth item is needed – “and that’s inspiration.” He said it’s important to keep everyone in Connecticut, but particularly young people, engaged and excited about conservation initiatives and the importance of a sustainable environment.
The Edwin Way Teale lecture series was begun in 1995 as a joint effort on the part of faculty members and graduate students interested in environmental issues and policy. It is named after Teale, a Connecticut author, naturalist, and photographer who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1966 for his book, Wandering Through Winter. In 2007, the lecture series received the Joshua’s Trust Conservation Award in recognition of its outstanding conservation efforts. Lectures are held throughout the academic year.