Press Releases

“We have long agreed with the goal of the EPA throughout the DMMP process to balance environmental stewardship with standard economic activity in Long Island Sound,” wrote the members. “Our states have been responsibly dredging using open-water placement for 35 years, and we believe maintaining the EPA designation of the ELDS, along with an increased effort among the states to find sustainable on-land solutions for dredged materials, will continue to provide the Long Island Sound region with a balanced approach for future waterway projects."

"The Doyon family's tragic loss of their beloved son Dustin who was ably serving in our nation's defense is a loss for every American. His decision to volunteer to join the Navy, and put himself in harm’s way for his country showed his patriotism and caring for others, which we should all revere and honor.”

My heart goes out to the families, friends, and shipmates of the US Navy sailors who lost their lives or remain missing after the USS JOHN S. MCCAIN collided with a commercial vessel earlier this week,” said Courtney. “The men and women of the Navy are asked to operate in contested waters each day to protect the national security interests of the United States. We owe it to these sailors to make sure that they have the tools, training, and support they need to carry out their duties safely and successfully."

"First and foremost, my thoughts are with the crew and families of the USS JOHN S. MCCAIN who lost shipmates and loved ones in the collision. Like the USS FITZGERALD accident prior to this one, I know the Navy will conduct a full investigation of this matter and promptly report its findings."

“This news is no surprise- it’s a confirmation that the hard work to bring jobs to the region is paying off. It validates the impact of an increased workload at Electric Boat, which in turn creates jobs at the hundreds of Connecticut-based parts suppliers on the EB supply chain. Thankfully, we’ve partnered with local community colleges, the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, and the US Department of Labor to create a strong job training program to ensure these local jobs are being filled by local residents. Our community is on the right track.”

“The statements made recently by the joint chiefs of all the military service branches renouncing racism and bigotry as anathema to the values of our nation and the men and women who wear the uniform were a powerful anecdote to the voices of hate and extremism that flared up in Charlottesville, VA last week,” said Courtney. “The military chiefs see clearly that the oath they took to uphold the Constitution of the United States was about defending our way of life that promotes tolerance, equality, and respect for the dignity of each American regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or country of origin. I hope that their elegant example will cause every American to reflect on what are the true ideals that unite us, rather than succumbing to appeals to division and discord."

"New York's frivolous lawsuit challenging a decade’s worth of painstaking work by the EPA to reform and improve the Eastern Long Island Sound's dredging plan blatantly ignores the facts and the law,” said Courtney. “EPA officials in the last administration conducted an open and transparent process for all stakeholders in proximity to the Sound, to update the dredging process, giving regulatory preference to upland disposal, and tightly screening the composition of dredge material to preserve the Long Island Sound ecosystem. EPA also moved the disposal site for material that cannot be practically moved upland, to Connecticut waters - not New York's - and allows a regional body including New York and Connecticut stakeholders to review any open water disposal that the Army Corps of Engineers determines is practicable.

“Despite President Trump’s insistence that he is taking action against the rising tide of opioid addiction, all of his activates thus far have shown exactly the opposite - that he is not doing enough,” said Courtney. “Last week, his own commission recommended he declare the growing prescription opioid and heroin epidemic a national emergency. Yesterday, he declined to take any new actions or allocate any new funding. The national death toll is growing by the day and President Trump essentially told the commission to take a walk. I have spent a great deal of time meeting with families and first responders over the last two-years to learn more about this crisis and the message from them could not be clearer. They need new resources and more funding to fight back and save lives – it is that simple. There is not enough money either for law enforcement activities or for treatment beds. We need to end the stigma against drug addiction and start treating this epidemic like the public health emergency it is.”