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Acknowledgments

The Council acknowledges the contributions of environmentalists that have worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all species on Earth. The Council recognizes all the former members of the Council and staff, including Kip Kolesinskas and Alicea Charamut whose terms ended in December 2023, and Matt Reiser whose term expired in March 2024, after eight years of service. 

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The Council appreciates the assistance of the many people in the Departments of Agriculture, Energy and Environmental Protection, Transportation, and Public Health; the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station; the Connecticut Siting Council; the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy; and others who, annually, provide or make data available for this report. 

It is appropriate to also acknowledge the many individuals and organizations that have contributed greatly to the stewardship of Connecticut’s environment. This includes the many state employees who administered the environmental programs put in place by the Legislature over the last five decades who are now about to retire, or have retired, from a career of public service. The Council especially thanks the many citizens, businesses, and organizations who offered information and viewpoints about public policies, many of which have led to the Council’s special reports over the years. The Council also appreciates the work of its Executive Director, Paul Aresta in assisting with drafting this report for review by the Council and preparing the final version for publication. 

Image Credits: The "warming earth" symbol used to denote indicators affected by climate change was created by the Council. The image of the Asian tiger mosquito is attributed to Susan Ellis. The image of the map of Connecticut with the status of Ospreys’ nests was obtained from Connecticut Audubon, Osprey Nation Map. The image of the emerald ash borer was obtained from forestimages.org; hydrilla was obtained from the United States Army Corps of Engineers; and jumping worm was obtained from the United states Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The image of tree canopy in environmental justice communities was provided by Danica Doroski and Isabelle Zaffetti. The image on the cover of the Shepaug River was provided by Paul Aresta. The Council greatly appreciates their generosity in allowing the use of these excellent images in this report.