Senate Bill No. 1454 aims to expand the eligibility requirements for municipalities to participate in state brownfield programs, specifically the abandoned brownfield cleanup program and the brownfield remediation and revitalization program. The bill mandates that the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development conduct a study to assess the feasibility and potential benefits of this expansion. The proposed eligibility would allow municipalities that have established a source of pollution on a property to participate, provided they have not created any additional pollution on that property for at least ten years. The Commissioner is required to submit a report on the study's findings to the relevant General Assembly committee by February 1, 2026.

The bill incurs a one-time cost of up to $250,000 to the Department of Economic and Community Development for consulting services necessary to complete the study. This cost may be partially offset by the assistance of existing staff at the Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development. The bill does not have any municipal impact and is expected to have a one-time fiscal impact in FY 26, with no ongoing costs in subsequent years. The language of the bill has been adjusted for accuracy, specifically changing "or the brownfield remediation and revitalization program" to "and the brownfield remediation and revitalization program."