Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), along with Representatives Christopher Shays (R-CT-4) and Chris Murphy (D-CT-5), today sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration Acting Administrator Robert Sturgell requesting that the FAA carry out the analyses recommended by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in its report on the FAA’s proposed airspace redesign.  The Connecticut elected officials also requested that the FAA respond to several shortcomings highlighted in the GAO report and present a detailed airspace redesign implementation plan to Congress that includes a time and cost schedule, risk mitigation plan, transition planning, and monitoring and evaluation plan.

The National Park Service Advisory Board voted today to approve Coltsville’s bid to become a National Historical Landmark.  Connecticut Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and Chris Dodd (D-CT), as well as Congressman John B. Larson (D-CT-01) applaud the Board’s decision and its recognition of the important piece of history that the Colt Factory represents. The decision now heads to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne’s desk for final approval. This is a major step towards attaining National Park status for the area and all of the benefits that come with that designation.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) released the following statement today on the President’s announcement that he lift the presidential ban on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Dodd is the co-sponsor of two bills that would require the oil companies to explore the 68 million acres of space they already lease. The Responsible Ownership of Public Land Act would charge oil companies a fee for every acre of land they lease but do not use for production.  The second piece of legislation, entitled the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act, mandates that oil companies either produce on or seek to develop their existing federal leases, or relinquish the leases when they expire. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today praised approval of a provision requiring the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to report back to the Senate after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases its review of the FAA’s proposed airspace redesign.  The provision, which was introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, would require the FAA Administrator to report the agency’s attempts to address any concerns or recommendations raised in the GAO’s report to the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Transportation. 

U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) and Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) today introduced legislation that would stipulate that if the price of home heating oil was over $4 per gallon this winter that the Home Heating Oil Reserve would be released on a staggered schedule throughout the winter. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today made the following statement in response to President Bush’s remarks to urging Congress to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

“For the President to call for new drilling on new and fragile lands when oil companies already do not use more than 75 percent of the acreage they currently have under lease is ludicrous. The time has come for Congress to tell these companies they can either ‘use it or lose it’ when it comes to their current leases. I call on my colleagues in the Senate, and indeed all Americans, to reject the President’s misleading statements.” 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), last week introduced legislation that will help lower gas prices by compelling big oil companies to begin utilizing the 68 million acres that they lease but thus far have not used to produce energy.  Representatives Edward Markey, Maurice Hinchey, Rahm Emanuel, and Nick Rahall announced companion legislation in the House of Representatives earlier this past week.     

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) released the following statement after President Bush enacted the Eightmile Wild and Scenic River bill into law:

“This is a tremendous victory for everyone who has fought so hard to ensure that the Eightmile River’s pristine beauty will remain unspoiled,” said Dodd. “I thank all the advocates in Eastern Connecticut, and especially Congressman Courtney, who worked tirelessly to see this bill through to passage in the House. The Eightmile River is one of nature’s great works of art, and today we have ensured that it will be preserved and protected for both present and future generations to enjoy.” 

“Our beautiful and diverse planet is the greatest gift we can give to future generations, and Earth Day should serve as a reminder to each and every one of us that we all have a part to play in preserving and protecting this treasure.  There are countless simple steps, such as turning off the lights when leaving a room, switching to compact fluorescent bulbs in your home, and choosing energy-efficient models when replacing old home appliances, that we can all take in our daily lives to make sure we leave our world in better shape than we found it.

“Some steps won’t be as simple, but they are critically important.  For the sake of not only our environment, but also our economy and our national security, we must put an end to our dependence on foreign oil by investing in clean, renewable energy sources that we can cultivate here at home using the skills of talented American workers.” 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), along with Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT-2), praised today’s Senate passage of the Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act, a bill sponsored by Dodd and cosponsored by Senator Lieberman that would assign federal Wild and Scenic status to the Eightmile River.  The bill asks the Secretary of the Interior to designate Eightmile River as Wild and Scenic, following a comprehensive study highlighting the river’s intrinsic and environmental value.