Connecticut’s commuter rail rebound continued last year, but while the Hartford Line had more passengers in 2024 than before the pandemic, Shore Line East struggled.
John Moritz
John covers energy and the environment for CT Mirror, a beat that has taken him from wind farms off the coast of Block Island to foraging for mushrooms in the Litchfield Hills and many places in between. Prior to joining CT Mirror, he was a statewide reporter for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and before that, he covered politics for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock. A native of Norwalk, John earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Temple University.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
CT lawmakers weigh bans on pesticides, rodenticides, other chemicals
Several bills have been filed dealing with herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals that affect animals and, in some cases, humans.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Legislative committee approves top utilities regulator for second term
Following a lengthy hearing Thursday, CT lawmakers voted on party lines to approve Gillett, top utilities regulator, for second term on PURA.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Lamont reaches deal to keep PURA Chair Gillett
Agreement would confirm Marissa Gillett’s reappointment as chair of PURA while moving the regulatory body outside of the executive branch.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Advocates rally for PURA Chair Gillett, accuse utilities of ‘smear campaign’
Rallygoers claimed Gillett’s tenacious approach to dealing with Eversource and UI has resulted in a campaign to sink her PURA reappointment.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Lamont wants to keep CT’s top utilities regulator. Lawmakers may have other ideas
Questions surround Gillett nomination after Eversource and UI lawsuit, Hartford Courant story, and lawmakers seeking PURA appointments
Posted inEnergy & Environment
CT state fleet was supposed to be 50% electric by 2026. It’s nowhere close
In 2022, lawmakers set a goal to transition half of CT’s cars and light-duty trucks to battery-electric engines. Progress has been slow.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
EPA funding freeze stirs confusion around New Haven geothermal project
For several days, New Haven officials couldn’t access the money needed to continue work on a geothermal project underneath Union Station.
Posted inGovernment
Republicans seek to undo change that allowed sale of CT’s Aquarion Water Co.
Republican lawmakers worry the sale of Aquarion, an Eversource subsidiary, could drive up water bills for thousands of CT constituents.
Posted inMoney
Lamont’s business tax changes would hit film and TV companies, large corporations
The changes would raise revenue from large, multistate corporations and limit a tax credit that has fostered movie and television production.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
CT utilities opposed to bill that would consolidate power at PURA
Avangrid and Eversource are opposed to a bill that would allow the public utilities authority to place cases before a single commissioner.
Posted inTransportation
Advocates seek broader funding for bus, rail transit in CT
Activists pushed for more funding for CT’s rail and bus lines, and a spokesperson said to expect ‘significant investments’ in Gov. Ned Lamont’s budget.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Ned Lamont won’t revive effort to adopt stricter electric vehicle rules
Gov. Ned Lamont said he won’t revive an effort to adopt California’s requirements for electric vehicle sales, even without federal rules.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Lamont accuses utilities of campaign to oust state’s top regulator
Ned Lamont called Eversource and United Illuminating’s lawsuit against PURA and Marissa Gillett ‘a full-court press to get her out of there.’
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Eversource, UI sue PURA, alleging leader overstepped authority
The lawsuit escalated a long-running feud between PURA Chairwoman Marissa Gillett and CT utilities Eversource and United Illuminating.