Improvements to State’s Regulatory Environment Win Senate Approval

This week the state Senate unanimously approved two measures to improve Connecticut’s regulatory climate. 

Before approving SB 1019, a bill streamlining the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Senate added a section providing businesses with relief from penalties for first-time, noncriminal violations of regulations if they are corrected within 30 days.  

The addition, previously raised and approved by the Commerce Committee in another bill, covers potential violations of regulations administered by DEEP, the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).

Legitimate Concerns Only

Also approved by the Senate is an amendment to SB 814 that will help make sure legitimate environmental concerns raised in state or local permit proceedings are more effectively addressed. The measure reduces the opportunity for some to delay or scuttle economic development projects by making frivolous environmental impact accusations with no factual basis.

With the amendment, SB 814 now reflects the standards courts have set for an environmental issue to be raised at a permit proceeding under the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). Because of that aspect, the Senate sent the amended bill to the Judiciary Committee, which now must also approve it before it goes to the House.  

With both actions unanimously approved by the Senate, it’s now up to the leaders and membership of the House of Representatives to move these important bills through to final passage.

For more information contact CBIA’s Eric Brown at 860.244.1926 or eric.brown@cbia.com.