CBIA members to advise DEP on initiatives

(Aug. 1, 2007) Members of CBIA's Environmental Policies Council (EPC) have been asked by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to help the agency develop three important initiatives affecting Connecticut businesses.

Responding to legislation proposed at the request of CBIA earlier this year, the DEP agreed to convene a new workgroup to guide the agency in drafting regulations defining what spills are of a nature that need to be reported to the state.

This is an issue that has frustrated many companies for decades. State law requires that spills posing a potential threat to human health or the environment need to be reported in accordance with regulations.

But those regulations have never been adopted, leaving companies uncertain about their legal responsibilities for reporting spills. The new workgroup will begin in September.

Improving the DEP's efficiency is a priority for Commissioner Gina McCarthy and she has identified the state’s hazardous waste management program as an area that can be improved. That’s why the DEP is convening a new workgroup to conduct a "systems analysis" of the current permitting, inspection, enforcement and outreach processes associated with the program. This group also begins in September.

Finally, the DEP is developing an “anti-idling” outreach program targeting businesses that have fleets of diesel vehicles. The agency wants to meet with several companies to ensure the agency thoroughly understands their perspective before moving forward.

If your company is interested in any of these topics, please contact Eric Brown at browne@cbia.com for further information.