House Bill No. 7170, also known as Public Act No. 25-170, proposes significant amendments to the powers of the Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). The bill repeals subsection (a) of section 22a-6 and replaces it with new provisions that expand the commissioner's authority to construct or repair infrastructure such as service roads, trails, and flood prevention systems, while increasing the expenditure threshold for certain projects from $500,000 to $1 million, with annual adjustments based on the Producer Price Index. Additionally, the bill modifies the fee structure for environmental compliance and permit applications, allowing the commissioner to require fees for processing requests under the Freedom of Information Act and for monitoring compliance, with the stipulation that these fees must be paid before final decisions on applications are made.

The bill also addresses the management of radioactive materials and commercial fishing licenses. It updates definitions related to radioactive materials, including the introduction of terms like "fusion machine" and clarifies that materials made radioactive by particle accelerators are classified as by-product materials. Furthermore, it grants the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection authority over fishing regulations and modifies conditions for reissuing commercial fishing licenses in cases of temporary incapacitation. The bill allows for the transfer of commercial fishing licenses upon the death of the holder, with specific conditions, and repeals sections related to recycling and solid waste management, replacing them with provisions that streamline the management of natural resources and enhance the operational efficiency of DEEP.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 26-192k, 26-212, 26-213, 26-232, 26-207, 26-209, 26-215, 26-192l
ENV Joint Favorable: 26-192k, 26-212, 26-213, 26-232, 26-207, 26-209, 26-215, 26-192l
File No. 630: 26-192k, 26-212, 26-213, 26-232, 26-207, 26-209, 26-215, 26-192l
Public Act No. 25-170: 26-159a, 26-142b, 23-5c, 26-192l