Little settled on
environmental bills

(April 21, 2006) The fate of many environmental proposals that could affect Connecticut’s business community is still uncertain as the General Assembly moves toward the last week of the 2006 session. 

Efforts to spur brownfield redevelopment, modify the Property Transfer Act, improve the Underground Storage Tank Petroleum Cleanup Fund, and cap general-permit fee increases are all facing varying degrees of probable success or failure.

Two priorities of the state’s business community both died in legislative committees during the past few weeks. One proposal would have capped general-permit fee increases by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) — a measure spawned by a recent 1,900% fee increase for an air emissions general permit.

The other bill would have reformed the Property Transfer Act regarding exemptions for universal waste and adding flexibility for partial property transfers. 

However, both proposals could reappear before the legislature adjourns on May 3. Efforts are ongoing to salvage these proposals as amendments to other bills that have survived the committee process.

On the other hand, two key environmental bills that CBIA opposed also died in committees. HB-5277 would have granted the DEP broad authority to require facilities possessing lawful registrations under the agency’s water diversion program to apply for an individual water diversion permit or face penalties and a loss of the registration.  This bill died in the Planning and Development Committee. 
HB-5568, which died in the Judiciary Committee, would have given the DEP new powers to obtain a broader array of information from regulated entities than already provided under law.

For more information about environmental bills or CBIA’s Environmental Policies Council, contact Eric Brown at 860-244-1900 or browne@cbia.com.