Make Compliance Your 2026 Resolution

As 2026 begins, manufacturers face a rapidly evolving regulatory and economic landscape that will demand sharper compliance, stronger cybersecurity, and more agile strategic planning.

From defense contracting and environmental reforms to supply chain volatility and workforce challenges, the year ahead will bring both heightened obligations and new opportunities for those prepared to act.

To help leaders plan effectively, we’ve identified six key legal issues Connecticut manufacturers should be watching in 2026.

1. Environmental Compliance: Transition to Connecticut’s Release-Based Cleanup Program  

Connecticut heads into 2026 with a transformative environmental milestone March 1—the long-criticized Transfer Act is being replaced by a modern, release-based cleanup program designed to speed remediation and ignite redevelopment.

After years of intensive collaboration between state agencies and industry, the new framework holds the promise of faster cleanups, greater predictability for businesses and alignment with national best practices.

The long-criticized Transfer Act is being replaced by a modern, release-based cleanup program.

State leaders project billions in economic growth and thousands of new jobs as blighted properties move back into productive use.

With implementation quickly approaching, manufacturers, developers, environmental professionals and regulators are preparing for one of the most significant regulatory shifts Connecticut has seen in decades. 

2. 2026 Stormwater and Pretreatment Permits: Key Compliance Changes Ahead 

Continuing on environmental matters, DEEP’s sweeping reissuance of its stormwater and pretreatment general permits will significantly expand regulatory coverage and raise compliance expectations for commercial, industrial and wastewater dischargers.

Updated SIC/NAICS applicability, new electronic registration and reporting requirements, expanded monitoring and stricter control measures mean many facilities, including retail centers, schools and fully sheltered industrial sites, may face obligations they did not have before.

DEEP’s sweeping reissuance of its stormwater and pretreatment general permits will significantly expand regulatory coverage.

The pretreatment GPs also introduce new effluent limits for PFAS, mercury and other pollutants, potentially requiring operational or treatment upgrades.

With registration deadlines  running through 2026, businesses should review applicability now, update stormwater and pretreatment plans and prepare for DEEP’s stricter scrutiny of complete and timely applications. 

3. Workplace Safety: OSHA’s 2026 Priorities  

Employers should prepare for heightened OSHA scrutiny in 2026, with heat illness prevention and injury-recordkeeping enforcement rising to the top of the agenda.

At the same time, expanded electronic recordkeeping requirements will fuel more targeted inspections and greater public visibility into workplace incidents.

Companies that proactively audit their safety programs, strengthen heat-illness protocols and ensure meticulous OSHA recordkeeping will be best positioned for compliance in the year ahead. 

4. International Trade Shifts: Tariffs, Sanctions, Supply Chain Strategy  

Connecticut manufacturers enter 2026 with cautious optimism as growth and profits persist, but labor shortages, rising costs and shifting federal trade policies create real headwinds.

Rapid, often unpredictable tariff changes and retaliatory measures abroad are adding uncertainty to operations and supply chains in a state heavily tied to global markets.

Unpredictable tariff changes and retaliatory measures abroad are adding uncertainty to operations and supply chains.

At the same time, Connecticut leaders are urging manufacturers to focus on productivity gains through AI, automation and collaboration rather than job growth alone.

New partnerships, including CBIA’s Manufacturing Coalition, aim to help the sector navigate a volatile policy landscape and build resilience in the year ahead. 

5. CMMC Becomes Mandatory: What Defense Contractors Must Know  

The U.S. Department of Defense’s long-anticipated Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program is now fully in effect, making cybersecurity compliance mandatory, not optional, for all defense contractors and subcontractors.

With phased implementation underway and flow-down obligations enforced, eligibility for future DoD contracts will hinge on meeting the required CMMC level, including rigorous self-assessments, third-party certifications, and continuous monitoring.

Eligibility for future DoD contracts will hinge on meeting the required CMMC level.

Because certification can take months to more than a year and involves significant cost, companies that haven’t begun preparing face urgent timelines in 2026.

Connecticut manufacturers can leverage resources like CONNSTEP’s CMMC Bootcamp and state grant funding to accelerate readiness and maintain competitiveness in the defense supply chain. 

6. Immigration and Workforce Strategy  

Immigration law and policy changes in 2026 will directly affect manufacturers’ ability to recruit and retain skilled and nonskilled workers alike.

The new $100,000 fee applicable to certain H-1B petitions, for example, will likely continue to impact employers into 2026, and there may be changes to the H-1B cap lottery system to prioritize the selection of higher paid workers.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Department of Labor are also expected to ramp up H-1B program compliance enforcement efforts.

USCIS and the U.S. Department of Labor are also expected to ramp up H-1B program compliance enforcement efforts.

Ongoing changes to other immigration programs will continue to impact manufacturers as well, including the termination of Temporary Protected Status for nationals of certain designated countries, which will result in the loss of work authorization for those individuals.

Manufacturers should also be aware of the recent pause on adjudication—and enhanced vetting—of all immigrant benefit requests for those from certain “high risk” countries, as well as increased scrutiny of visa applications for certain visa holders traveling internationally and attending visa appointments, which can result in unexpected long-term absences from the U.S.

There were a slew of impactful immigration law and policy changes in 2025, and we expect 2026 will be no different. 

As manufacturers plan for the year ahead, staying ahead of regulatory changes and emerging risks can provide a meaningful competitive advantage.

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For questions about the firm’s manufacturing practice, please contact Alfredo Fernández (860.251.5353).