Below is a list of important environmental initiatives that were under discussion at the state legislature this session.
CTLCV tracked this legislation for our 2014 Environmental Scorecard. We urged legislators to consider a pro-environment position when they cast their votes. For more information about the issues or bills please follow the link on both the bill number and issue title.
Supported Legislation
SB 70Permanent Protection of State Conservation Lands This bill aims to permanently protect state lands that are valuable for conservation, agricultural and recreational purposes through the use of conservation restrictions, as defined in the general statutes.
Passed Senate 4/23/14
Passed House 5/7/14
SB 237Ban Toxic Fracking Waste This bill, as amended by the Senate, will create a three year moratorium on the importation of hydraulic fracking waste and all products containing this waste. The moratorium will be in effect until DEEP adopts regulations to control fracking waste as hazardous waste.
Referred to Judiciary 4/8/14
Voted favorably in Judiciary 4/14/14
Passed Senate 5/5/14
Passed House 5/714
HB 5424State Water Plan This bill would direct the Water Planning Council to engage in a 3 year process for writing a comprehensive statewide water plan.
Passed House 4/30/14
Passed Senate 5/7/14
SB 46Pesticides This bill will extend the current ban from K-8 to include the protection of high-school students from exposure to toxic pesticides on lawns and playing fields.
Passed KID 3/11/14
Passed EDU 4/11/14
Passed ENV 4/25/14
Failed
HB 5370 Funding State Parks and Forests This bill would develop a new funding mechanism to return a portion of State Park Admissions and facility rental revenues back into the parks.
Referred to Appropriations 4/8/14
SB 126Children's Exposure to Chemicals This bill identifies chemicals of high concern to children and to make recommendations to the legislature every two years on ways to reduce exposure.
On Senate Calendar
Failed
SB 312Long Island Sound Inventory and Blue Plan This bill directs an advisory committee to inventory the uses and natural resources of Long Island Sound, and to develop a plan that ensures new uses are compatible with habitats and traditional uses.
Passed in GAE 4/25/14
Passed Senate 4/30/14
No vote in House
HB 5410 Reduce Methane Leakage This bill would limit the amount of lost and unaccounted for gas that a natural gas distribution company may recover from ratepayers to incentivize them to fix leaks in the system.
Passed House 4/16/14
Passed Senate 5/7/14
SB 66Outdoor Wood-Burning Furnaces This bill would maintain certain requirements concerning the installation and use of outdoor wood-burning furnaces, in light of expected federal rules on outdoor wood-burning furnaces, and to require owners to burn only wood that is not chemically treated.
Passed Senate 4/9/14
HB 5408 Tree Trimming This bill would place the burden of proof on the utility companies for the cutting and destruction of trees or shrubs in the State of Connecticut.
Passed House 5/2/14
Passed Senate 5/7/14
Opposed Legislation
HB 5358 Regulation Repeal This bill authorizes the Regulation Review Committee to initiate the repeal of regulations it deems “obsolete or burdensome” without full action by the legislature.
Defeated no vote was taken
SB 405 Eliminate Land Use Public Hearings This bill would eliminate the ability of a planning commission to hold public hearings on subdivisions except in the instances where the commission has already determined that the application violates the subdivision regulations.
On Foot of Senate Calendar 4/22/14
HB 5431 Suspension of Penalties This bill would make it much more difficult for any state agency to enforce laws for which it is responsible. It encourages violators to demand that penalties be waived and to challenge those that are not waived. Agencies, especially DEEP, are already struggling to meet enforcement standards under current law. This law gives violators reason to be confident that penalties can be avoided. It is a step in the wrong direction.
