House Bill No. 5222, known as Public Act No. 24-10, establishes a no-wake zone on the Pawcatuck River in Connecticut. The act specifies that no person shall operate a vessel at a speed exceeding slow-no-wake between Pawcatuck Rock at Red Navigation Marker No. 16 and Graves Neck at Red Navigation Marker No. 6. Violation of this provision is considered an infraction, and the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection is responsible for administering this section in accordance with chapter 268 of the general statutes. This section of the bill is effective from July 1, 2024.
Additionally, the act authorizes the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to use funds allocated for stormwater infrastructure to acquire conservation easements along streams and rivers in the state. These easements must require property owners to maintain a vegetated buffer along the waterways, defined as retaining native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous cover instead of converting the area to lawns, golf courses, or athletic fields. The Commissioner has the discretion to determine the percentage of funds to be used for these purposes. This section of the bill is effective immediately upon passage. The act was approved on May 14, 2024.