Environmental Council Asks Public To Weigh In On Legislation

The Council On Environmental Quality held a public hearing today at the Capitol to solicit comments on recommendations for new legislation. WNPR’s Nancy Cohen reports this is the first time the C.E.Q. has held this type of hearing.

The Council asked for comments on its own legislative agenda and for new proposals. Greg Sharp, an environmental attorney, spoke about the permitting process for the development of more than five acres. He told the Council after developers spend a year or two getting approval from local wetlands commissions and zoning boards they have to get a construction storm water permit from the state. That permit requires developers to find out if there are endangered or threatened species on their property - and if so to modify their plan.

“That step comes at the end of the two year or so municipal process and has the potential... to cause the applicant to revise his whole application - which means going back to the beginning and going through the local process again.”

Sharp says he wants the permitting process modified without giving up standards. On another issue, David Bingham, of the Connecticut Land Conservation Council spoke about Public Law 490, which gives property tax breaks to forest and farm owners. Bingham says it  should be extended to fallow farmland that’s being managed for wildlife habitat.

“When people are overly taxed on land they just want to maintain for the public good they finally give up and say  ‘heck with it I’m just going to subdivide get my money out because the town is hammering me with taxes’.”

Others spoke in favor of steady funding from the state to improve sewage treatment plants and strengthening laws that protect ground water. 

For WNPR I’m Nancy Cohen.