9 7 6 , ▁and ▁served ▁there ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁She ▁had ▁major ▁legisl ative ▁success es ▁on ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁critical ▁environmental ▁issues . ▁She ▁took ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁draft ing ▁and ▁implementing ▁Connecticut ' s ▁coast al ▁management ▁laws ▁that ▁protect ▁coast line ▁and ▁valuable ▁resources . ▁She ▁served ▁on ▁Connecticut ' s ▁water ▁supply ▁task ▁force ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁fight ▁to ▁ass ure ▁safe ▁drink ing ▁water ▁in ▁Connecticut . ▁She ▁played ▁an ▁active ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁Connecticut ' s ▁ha z ard ous ▁waste ▁management ▁service ▁and ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁real ign ing ▁and ▁reform ing ▁the ▁Connecticut ▁Resources ▁Rec overy ▁Author ity . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁M s . ▁Bel aga ▁chose ▁not ▁to ▁seek ▁re - e lection ▁to ▁her ▁seat ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁seek ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁Republican ▁nom ination ▁for ▁governor . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁Republican ▁state ▁party ▁convention ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁M s . ▁Bel aga ▁did ▁not ▁receive ▁the ▁party ▁nom ination ▁but ▁received ▁sufficient ▁votes ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁a ▁primary ▁in ▁September . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁convention , ▁she ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁liberal ▁Republican ▁leader ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁g ubern atorial ▁candidate ▁John ▁de K oven ▁Als op ▁of ▁Av on , ▁Connecticut , ▁whose ▁town ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁cast ▁its ▁votes ▁and ▁who ▁memor ably ▁announced ▁his ▁vote ▁with ▁the ▁statement