Title 22a — Title 22a: Environmental Protection

Sec. 22a-1. Policy of the state. The General Assembly finds that the growing population and expanding economy of the state have had a profound impact on the life-sustaining natural environment. The air, water, land and other natural resources, taken for granted since the settleme…

Sec. 22a-10. Payment of refunds. The Comptroller, upon application of the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, may draw his order upon the Treasurer in favor of any person equitably entitled to the refund of any money paid to any component agency of the Department…

Sec. 22a-11. Council on Environmental Quality. There shall be a Council on Environmental Quality which shall be within the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for administrative purposes only. Said council shall consist of nine members, five to be appointed by the G…

Sec. 22a-12. Environmental quality report. Review of state agency construction plans. Exception. (a) The council shall submit annually to the Governor an environmental quality report, which shall set forth: (1) The status of the major environmental categories including, but not l…

Sec. 22a-13. Citizen complaints. The council is empowered to receive and investigate citizen complaints alleging violation of any statute or regulation in respect to environmental quality. When the chairman of the council determines that matters alleged in a citizen complaint can…

Sec. 22a-14. Short title: Environmental Protection Act of 1971. Sections 22a-14 to 22a-20, inclusive, shall be known and may be cited as the “Environmental Protection Act of 1971”. (1971, P.A. 96, S. 1.) Cited. 170 C. 47; 175 C. 483; 184 C. 51; 192 C. 591; 204 C. 38; Id., 212; 21…

Sec. 22a-15. Declaration of policy. It is hereby found and declared that there is a public trust in the air, water and other natural resources of the state of Connecticut and that each person is entitled to the protection, preservation and enhancement of the same. It is further f…

Sec. 22a-16. Action for declaratory and equitable relief against unreasonable pollution. The Attorney General, any political subdivision of the state, any instrumentality or agency of the state or of a political subdivision thereof, any person, partnership, corporation, associati…

Sec. 22a-16a. Supplemental environmental projects or financial contributions in lieu of penalty for environmental violations. In any action brought by the Attorney General under section 22a-16 or under any provision of this title which provides for a civil or criminal penalty for…

Sec. 22a-17. Defense. Appointment of master or referee. (a) When the plaintiff in any such action has made a prima facie showing that the conduct of the defendant, acting alone, or in combination with others, has, or is reasonably likely unreasonably to pollute, impair or destroy…

Sec. 22a-18. Powers of court. (a) The court may grant temporary and permanent equitable relief, or may impose such conditions on the defendant as are required to protect the public trust in the air, water and other natural resources of the state from unreasonable pollution, impai…

Sec. 22a-19. Administrative proceedings. (a)(1) In any administrative, licensing or other proceeding, and in any judicial review thereof made available by law, the Attorney General, any political subdivision of the state, any instrumentality or agency of the state or of a politic…

Sec. 22a-19a. Historic structures and landmarks. When court costs assessed against plaintiff. The provisions of sections 22a-15 to 22a-19, inclusive, shall be applicable to the unreasonable destruction of historic structures and landmarks of the state, which shall be those proper…

Sec. 22a-19b. Exception for certain property listed on the state register of historic places. The provisions of section 22a-19a shall not apply to any property or structure, or any portion thereof, that was first listed on the state register of historic places during the month of…

Sec. 22a-1a. Declaration of policy: Coordination of state plans and programs. (a) In furtherance of and pursuant to sections 22a-1 and 22a-15, the General Assembly, recognizing the profound impact of man's activity on the interrelations of all components of the natural environmen…

Sec. 22a-1b. Evaluation by state agencies of actions affecting the environment. Public scoping process. Environmental monitor. The General Assembly directs that, to the fullest extent possible: (a) Each state department, institution or agency shall review its policies and practic…

Sec. 22a-1c. Actions which may significantly affect the environment. Definition. As used in sections 22a-1 to 22a-1i, inclusive, “actions which may significantly affect the environment” means individual activities or a sequence of planned activities proposed to be undertaken by s…

Sec. 22a-1d. Review of environmental impact evaluations. Notification to municipalities and agencies. (a) Environmental impact evaluations and a summary thereof, including any negative findings shall be submitted for comment and review to the Council on Environmental Quality, the…

Sec. 22a-1e. Review and determination by Office of Policy and Management. The Office of Policy and Management shall review all environmental impact evaluations together with the comments and responses thereon, and shall make a written determination as to whether such evaluation s…

Sec. 22a-1f. Exceptions. (a) Environmental impact evaluations need not be prepared for projects for which environmental statements have previously been prepared pursuant to other state or federal laws or regulations, provided all such statements shall be considered and reviewed a…

Sec. 22a-1g. Regulations. Within six months of October 1, 1977, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of sections 22a-1a to 22a-1f, inclusive. Such regulations shall include: (1) Specific criteria for determini…

Sec. 22a-1h. Environmental impact evaluations. Until the adoption of regulations in accordance with the provisions of section 22a-1g, each state agency, department and institution shall prepare environmental impact evaluations in accordance with sections 22a-1b, 22a-1c and 22a-1d…

Sec. 22a-1i. Environmental contamination risk assessment by Department of Public Health. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly denotes otherwise: (1) “Dose-response assessment” means the quantitative…

Sec. 22a-1j. Definitions. State Historic Preservation Officer determination re actions which may significantly affect the environment. Proposal of alternative. Mitigation plan. Review by Commissioner of Economic and Community Development. (a) As used in this section: (1) “Actions…

Sec. 22a-2. Definitions. Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. Permitted delegations of authority. (a) As used in this title and chapters 263, 268, 348, 360, 447, 448, 449, 452, 462, 474, 476, 477, 478, 479, 490 and 495, except where otherwise provided, “commission…

Sec. 22a-20. Procedure supplementary to other procedures. Intervening party. Sections 22a-14 to 22a-20, inclusive, shall be supplementary to existing administrative and regulatory procedures provided by law and in any action maintained under said sections, the court may remand th…

Sec. 22a-20a. Environmental justice community. Definitions. Assessment of environmental or public health stressors. Meaningful public participation plan. Public participation report. Informal public meeting. Community environmental benefit agreement. Regulations. Denial of permit…

Sec. 22a-20b. Denial of permit under environmental justice statute. Town referendum to approve such denied permit. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, any special act, municipal charter or ordinance, in any municipality having a population of ten thousand perso…

Sec. 22a-21. (Formerly Sec. 22-7a). Plan for development of outdoor recreation and other natural resources. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection is authorized to prepare, maintain and keep up-to-date a comprehensive plan for the development of the outdoor recre…

Sec. 22a-21a. State assistance related to recreation and park services. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection shall: (1) Study the recreation needs of the state and disseminate information concerning recreation services; (2) assist municipalities and other politic…

Sec. 22a-21b. Connecticut Conservation Corps. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may, within available appropriations, establish and operate a Connecticut Conservation Corps program, similar to the federal Young Adult Conservation Corps program (29 USC 991 et…

Sec. 22a-21c. Connecticut Service Corps: Definitions. For the purposes of sections 22a-21d to 22a-21h, inclusive: (1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection; (2) “Corps” means the Connecticut Service Corps; (3) “Corps member” means a person b…

Sec. 22a-21d. Connecticut Service Corps established. Project sponsors. Grants. (a) There is established a Connecticut Service Corps to be administered by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, within available appropriations. The corps shall provide persons betw…

Sec. 22a-21e. Grant application. An application for a grant shall be on a form prescribed by the commissioner and shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) A summary that has: (A) The name, address, telephone number, tax status, federal employer identification numb…

Sec. 22a-21f. Rating system for grant applications. For the purpose of making grants, the commissioner shall develop a rating system for applications that will assess the relative merits of proposed projects with emphasis on: (1) The contribution of the project to the community i…

Sec. 22a-21g. Project eligibility; exceptions. The commissioner may determine the eligibility of a project except that: (1) No grant shall be awarded to any organization for a project that is solely an extension, expansion or continuation of the routine work normally done by such…

Sec. 22a-21h. Annual reports by project sponsor and commissioner. On or before October first of each year, a project sponsor shall submit a report to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection on the unique or outstanding achievements of the project, the progress and…

Sec. 22a-21i. Grants for operating costs of Beardsley Zoological Gardens, Bridgeport. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection may provide grants, within available appropriations, to the city of Bridgeport or to the Connecticut Zoological Society for the purpose of p…

Sec. 22a-21j. School bus emissions reduction program. (a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall establish a school bus emissions reduction program. Such program shall be established regardless of the pri…

Sec. 22a-21k. School bus emissions reduction account. There is established the “school bus emissions reduction account”, which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. The…

Sec. 22a-22. (Formerly Sec. 22-7b). Federal aid and agreements. (a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection is designated as administrative agent of the state to apply for any funds or other aid, cooperate and enter into contracts and agreements with the federal g…

Sec. 22a-23. (Formerly Sec. 22-7c). Federal funds to be held in separate account. The Comptroller shall establish a separate account for federal funds received under authority of sections 22a-21, 22a-21a and 22a-22 to 22a-27, inclusive, for the benefit of and to be disbursed to s…

Sec. 22a-24. (Formerly Sec. 22-7d). Powers additional to those under other statutes. No provision of sections 22a-21 to 22a-23, inclusive, shall be construed to limit, supersede or repeal the provisions of any existing statute relating to the functions, responsibilities and power…

Sec. 22a-25. (Formerly Sec. 22-7e). Acquisition of land and waters. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may acquire in the name of the state and for the benefit of the public, by purchase, lease, gift, devise or exchange, land, waters and rights in land or wat…

Sec. 22a-26. (Formerly Sec. 22-7f). Conveyance or lease of land to or from governmental agencies. Conveyance of land to municipalities or responsible parties under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental P…

Sec. 22a-26a. State-owned properties providing public access to Long Island Sound. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Departments of Transportation and Administrative Services, The University of Connecticut and other state agencies wit…

Sec. 22a-27. (Formerly Sec. 22-7g). Maintenance of areas and facilities for recreation or natural resources purposes. To such extent as may be necessary to assure the proper operation and maintenance of areas and facilities acquired by municipalities or regional authorities pursu…

Secs. 22a-27a and 22a-27b. Transferred to Chapter 446d, Secs. 22a-248 and 22a-249, respectively.

Sec. 22a-27c. Transferred to Chapter 443, Sec. 22a-83.

Sec. 22a-27d. Transferred to Chapter 446d, Sec. 22a-250.