The General Assembly finds that the state of Connecticut is severely disadvantaged by its lack of primary energy resources; that primarily as a result of past policies and tendencies, the state has become dependent upon petroleum as an energy source; that national energy policies do not preclude the recurrence of serious problems arising from this dependence during petroleum shortages; that the increase in oil prices since the 1973 oil embargo has had a major impact on the state; that the economy has suffered directly because of our dependence on petroleum and constraints upon the rate of conversion to alternatives; that other conventional sources of energy are subject to constraints involving supply, transportation, cost and environmental, health and safety considerations; and that the state must address these problems by conserving energy, increasing the efficiency of energy utilization and developing renewable energy sources. The General Assembly further finds that energy use has a profound impact on the society, economy and environment of the state, particularly in its impact on low and moderate-income households and interrelationship with population growth, high density urbanization, industrial well-being, resource utilization, technological development and social advancement, and that energy is critically important to the overall welfare and development of our society. Therefore, the General Assembly declares that it is the policy of the state of Connecticut to (1) conserve energy resources by avoiding unnecessary and wasteful consumption; (2) consume energy resources in the most efficient manner feasible; (3) develop and utilize renewable energy resources, such as solar and wind energy, to the maximum practicable extent; (4) diversify the state’s energy supply mix; (5) where practicable, replace energy resources vulnerable to interruption due to circumstances beyond the state’s control with those less vulnerable; (6) assist citizens and businesses in implementing measures to reduce energy consumption and costs; (7) ensure that low-income households can meet essential energy needs; (8) maintain planning and preparedness capabilities necessary to deal effectively with future energy supply interruptions; and (9) when available energy alternatives are equivalent, give preference for capacity additions first to conservation and load management. The state shall seek all possible ways to implement this policy through public education and cooperative efforts involving the federal government, regional organizations, municipal governments, other public and private organizations and concerned individuals, using all practical means and measures, including financial and technical assistance, in a manner calculated to promote the general welfare by creating and maintaining conditions under which energy can be utilized effectively and efficiently. The General Assembly further declares that it is the continuing responsibility of the state to use all means consistent with other essential considerations of state policy to improve and coordinate the plans, functions, programs and resources of the state to attain the objectives stated herein without harm to the environment, risk to health or safety or other undesirable or unintended consequences, to preserve wherever possible a society which supports a diversity and variety of individual choice, to achieve a balance between population and resource use which will permit the maintenance of adequate living standards and a sharing of life’s amenities among all citizens, and to enhance the utilization of renewable resources so that the availability of nonrenewable resources can be extended to future generations. The General Assembly declares that the energy policy is essential to the preservation and enhancement of the health, safety and general welfare of the people of the state and that its implementation therefore constitutes a significant and valid public purpose for all state actions.