Governor John G. Rowland realizes that Connecticut’s heritages lies in the preservation, protection and improvement of its natural assets.

He has made protecting the environment a priority, with record-breaking amounts of open space preserved, state parks revitalized, new parks opened and major resources devoted to protecting our waterways, especially Long Island Sound.

In 1998, Governor Rowland called for 21 percent of the state’s land to be preserved as open space by 2023. Today, almost 70 percent of that goal has been reached and more than 40,000 additional acres put under permanent protection.

These properties have added thousands of acres to state parks and forests, increased access to Long Island Sound and our rivers, created new recreational areas for residents and most importantly be protected from development.

In 2002, the largest acquisition in state history was made – the 15,300 acre Kelda watershed property.

In 1997 Governor Rowland launched a $144 million revitalization program to improve and expand Connecticut public parks. This initiative has resulted in better park facilities for families to enjoy, including the opening of the first new shoreline recreation area in decades, Silver Sands State Park in Milford.

Governor Rowland has made the preservation and protection of Long Island Sound a priority. Aggressive nitrogen reduction agreements are in place with New York and millions has been spent to upgrade sewage treatment facilities along the coastline.

More than $700 million in clean water grants and loans have been made since 1995 to build new and improved sewage treatment plants and make other infrastructure improvements to protect and improve water quality.

Connecticut’s river quality has made major advances, including the recent restoration of the Naugatuck River to pre-industrial water quality and the first continuous flow of water in one hundred years.

Connecticut has the among the strictest air quality standards in the country. Governor Rowland has worked to ensure continued vigilance in reducing pollution from in and out of state sources.

In May 2000 Governor Rowland signed an executive order to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from 61 sources statewide. These measures are among the strictest in the nation and will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by nearly 19,000 tons in 2002.

Tough new emission standards signed into law by Governor Rowland require older power plants, otherwise known as the "Sooty Six," to clean up. This measure will improve air quality for thousands of residents who reside in the vicinity of these plants.

Governor Rowland also initiated legal action to cut down on the amount of air pollution blown into Connecticut from sources to the south and midwest.

In 1998 Governor Rowland joined fellow New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers in an action plan to virtually eliminate mercury releases into the region’s environment.

Governor Rowland signed legislation establishing a mercury reduction and education law to eliminate mercury from the solid waste stream in Connecticut.

Since then, more than one ton of mercury has been removed from the state’s waste stream through aggressive collection and education efforts.