Substitute House Bill No. 6868, also known as Public Act No. 25-84, seeks to improve the predictability of environmental permitting processes in Connecticut by repealing Section 22a-6aa and introducing new provisions. The bill allows the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to extend the validity of general permits beyond their expiration date until a new permit is issued or a decision is made not to renew, replacing the previous twelve-month extension limit. It mandates that the commissioner publish a notice of intent to renew at least 180 days before expiration and permits the collection of registration fees for permits continued beyond their expiration date, while ensuring compliance with existing permits. Additionally, the bill establishes new requirements for watershed-level compensatory mitigation and tasks the commissioner with preparing a report on potential improvements to environmental reviews under the state Endangered Species Act by February 1, 2026.

Furthermore, the bill amends the process for filing petitions related to environmental regulations by removing the requirement to allege unreasonable pollution or destruction of public trust resources. Instead, it requires that petitions demonstrate that at least one person's legal rights, duties, or privileges will be affected by the regulated activity and satisfy the criteria for intervening under section 22a-19. The timeframe for objections to petitions has been extended from seven to ten business days, and a structured process for objections and responses has been outlined. The commissioner is required to make a determination on petitions within thirty days, and if a petition does not meet the requirements, the petitioner has the right to appeal the decision under section 4-183. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the petition process while ensuring that the rights of individuals potentially affected by regulated activities are adequately considered.

Statutes affected:
Governor's Bill:
ENV Joint Favorable:
File No. 456:
File No. 946:
Public Act No. 25-84: