HARTFORD - Environment Connecticut Program Director Christopher Phelps issued the following statement Tuesday urging lawmakers to pass the Fonfara-Nardello Energy Bill:

"In the face of aggressive pressure from dozens of energy industry lobbyists, lawmakers at the state capitol pulled the plug on a planned Monday vote on the Fonfara-Nardello Energy Bill. The bill would mark a huge step towards a cleaner, more efficient and more affordable energy future for every family and every business in every community across Connecticut.

Environment Connecticut calls on lawmakers to stand up to the utility and power company lobbyists and reject their scare tactics. The Energy Bill will create and retain needed jobs at renewable energy and energy efficiency businesses here in Connecticut."

Phelps explained that the energy bill would create and retain needed jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency businesses in CT. He said that the energy bill will help expand use of solar, wind, fuel cell, and other clean and renewable energy sources that cut pollution and help break our dependence on oil.

"The Fonfara-Nardello energy bill is too important to Connecticut's economic, energy, and environmental future to allow lobbyists for big utilities, energy companies and power plant owners to block action on the bill. Now of all times, when our nation is seeing firs-hand in the Gulf of Mexico the catastrophic results for our economy and our environment from dependence on oil, we need our lawmakers to stand up to the arm twisting of lobbyists for big energy companies," urged Phelps.