Connecticut is doubling down on climate protection, even as the Trump administration rolls back environmental regulations, electric vehicle rebates and offshore wind projects.

On Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont signed two sweeping new laws, including aggressive new carbon emissions targets.

But can the state realistically meet the goals?

With the stroke of a pen, Lamont set new reduction targets for greenhouse gases.

By 2040, the law calls for a 65% reduction over 2001 levels. And a decade later, “an economy-wide net-zero level.”

“We’re playing defense; I admit that,” Lamont said. “These are bills that are going to do a little bit more to keep you safe.”

But Connecticut isn’t even meeting its current goals.

“Let me be completely clear. It will be very, very difficult for states like ours to meet these targets if we have the federal government pursuing the actions that have been talked about,” said Katie Dykes, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

“BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL”

That’s because President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” eliminates incentives for solar and offshore wind projects. The massive tax cutting plan passed the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

At the last minute, senators dropped a new 50% tax on most solar projects. But they eliminated $7,500 federal tax rebates to purchase an electric vehicle.

“Not everybody wants an electric car. I don't want an electric car,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “I want to have, maybe gasoline, maybe electric, maybe hybrid.”

But Connecticut is pushing back.

EV buyers can still save up to $6,500 with state tax breaks. And the new laws will help homeowners and schools switch to energy-efficient heat pumps.

“Last week, we had 103-degree temperatures for three, four days. And then, the next day after that, it was 60 degrees,” said Aziz Dehkan, with the Roundtable on Climate and Jobs. “Somebody tell me that’s not chaotic.”

The state will also offer cities and towns more help combatting rising sea levels, and give environmentally friendly companies first dibs at JobsCT tax rebates.

“Connecticut is really swimming against the federal tide, which is clearly going in the opposite direction,” said state Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven).

Despite signing the new laws, environmentalists are criticizing Lamont for supporting for more natural gas.

But the governor said the state is heavily invested in the new Revolution Wind project off the Rhode Island coast, as well as efforts to import more solar power from Maine and hydro-electricity from Quebec.

“We’re trying to do everything we can to bring down rates and bring down the pollution at the same time,” he said. “We’re working with all the different players, but it doesn't take our eye off the ball we've got to do as a state to make sure we stay green and clean."

This is the first time Lamont has frustrated climate groups.

Last year, he dropped a controversial electric vehicle sales mandate amid fierce push back from drivers. It required all new cars to be electric or plug-in hybrid by 2035, but used car sales would not be impacted.