As the leaves fall and the year winds down, our thoughts turn to reflection and preparation. While many are planning for the holidays, Sierra Club Connecticut is planning for the 2026 legislative session. The work we do leading up to the session will help our voices be strong when the session begins in February. 

 

This November we are inviting members and supporters to get involved with our legislative committee. Our legislative committee is a volunteer team that helps shape our legislative priorities, tracks bills, organizes testimony, and works on legislative strategy at recurring calls. The committee meets regularly and is open to Sierra Club members passionate about protecting our environment, advancing climate justice, and holding polluters accountable.

 

Last session our volunteers helped push forward critical policies, and as we look ahead to 2026 we’re setting our agenda, building our network of advocates, and preparing to make an even greater impact. 

 

No policy experience is needed, just an interest to learn and speak up for what you care about. Whether you want to help write testimony, meet with legislators, or simply stay informed, there’s a place for you in this work. 

 

Hear from a few volunteers who are part of the Legislative Committee:

“My wife and I have been Sierra Club members for decades.  Largely content to make an annual membership donation and, once in a blue moon, participate in a Sierra Club trip.  We had been content to rely on others to carry the banner and protect our environment. In light of the Federal Government's onslaught on the environment, however, I joined the legislative committee last year to help make positive change at the State level.  I learned that our ranks are thin but motivated, the legislative process is convoluted and contrary to common sense, and the opposition is strong and well funded. Even so, we can, and did, win legislative battles. But Sierra Club members have to be involved. When we answer the calls to action -- make the phone calls, participate in the walks with a purpose, testify at the hearings, go to the Capitol to meet our legislators -- then environmentally beneficial legislation becomes a reality. I am so very grateful that the Sierra Club CT Chapter has a legislative committee of concerned volunteers willing to advocate on environmental matters. I am especially grateful that we have a Sierra Club team with an intimate knowledge of the legislative process to provide timely and effective guidance.” 

• Vincent Gordano, Volunteer

 

“This opportunity found me. Not the other way around. Learning how the American legislature works was nothing short of a fantastic life lesson. With Trump derailing all the pillars of our constitution one by one with zero regard for the safety of our children made this super important.  I learned the largest lobby in CT is energy and Trump is completely bought and sold by the fossil fuel sector.  The Sierra Club is a bastion of sanity and civility where American politics now has none of those virtues.” 

• Paul Stolz, Volunteer

 

“I joined the Sierra Club and then the Sierra Club Legislative Committee because when I was at the Capitol working on the CT Environmental Rights Amendment and other issues for CT NOFA, I saw how effective and knowledgeable the Sierra Club team was in working with the legislature and I knew that in the next session I wanted to be in the room with them when they planned their strategy. The Legislative Committee is a team that supports each of the volunteers in the environmental issues they are most passionate about as well as gathering the power of Sierra Club members behind a few major priorities. Steve Lewis knows how the General Assembly operates and he shares his knowledge with the rest of us, while also running awesomely organized meetings open to and respectful of all the volunteers. Sierra Club staff and volunteers work together seamlessly to get things done!” 

• Kim Stoner, Volunteer

 

“I joined the Sierra Club Legislative Committee in late 2024 because I was alarmed by the potential environmental harm from the incoming federal administration and wanted to take meaningful action. Joining gave me hope of learning how to fight for the environment and influence policy. Environmental protection has always been central to my life shaping my studies in environmental toxicology and my career in toxicopathology. Growing up, I learned about Silent Spring, the creation of the EPA, and saw firsthand the effects of pollution in my community, which strengthened my resolve to act. Although I initially didn’t realize the committee focused on state and local policy, I soon came to see that’s where the most direct and lasting impact happens, especially for climate adaptation in my coastal community. I also found a group of passionate, knowledgeable people working together for a healthier environment. One of the first times I felt my voice mattered was during my very first meeting, when leaders encouraged input from everyone, even newcomers like me. Their inclusivity inspired me to learn and contribute more. To anyone thinking about joining, I’d say go for it. The work is impactful, and you’ll gain invaluable insight into how state policies are shaped. It’s a great way to learn, connect, and make a real difference for Connecticut’s environment” 

• Dana Walker, Volunteer 

 

You can view our legislative page here. 

 

If you want to get involved in our legislative committee contact Steve Lewis, Legislative Committee Chair at swlewis276@gmail.com. 

 

Julianna Larue is an organizer at Sierra Club Connecticut, focusing on our state legislative efforts.