CONSERVING THE FACE OF CONNECTICUT

CACIWC’s 2007 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

The Face of Connecticut is made up of rolling hills blanketed with forests and farms, wetlands and rivers, beaches and estuaries, and buildings and streetscapes that reflect the State’s rich and diverse natural resources and history. The Face of Connecticut defines the character of our communities, and our quality of life.

CACIWC’s efforts in 2007 will focus on legislation that best supports Conservation Commission and Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Commission responsibilities and the conservation and protection of our natural resources. Updates on all legislation noted below will be made available, as appropriate on CACIWC.ORG and CACIWC Listserv.

PRESERVING OPEN SPACE and FARM LAND
Current development patterns threaten the Face of Connecticut and our economic well being. Sprawl is overtaking our working farms at the rate of 6-8,000 acres per year. Our rivers and Long Island Sound are being polluted as fields and forests—our natural storm water filters--are consumed by sprawl’s impervious surfaces. We must act now to increase the pace in preserving natural lands and farm lands before it is too late.

The Face of Connecticut Campaign
After nine months of collaborating, CACIWC has joined together with land conservation, historic preservation and urban advocates to launch the ‘Face of Connecticut’ campaign – an aggressive, visionary initiative to significantly increase the state’s commitment over the next ten years to protect farmland, preserve critical open space, restore historic structures, and rehabilitate urban spaces and village centers. This effort has grown out of frustration with the state’s declining investment in natural, farm land and historic resources, leading to application backlogs from land owners and municipalities.

The Face of Connecticut campaign is calling for an urgent $1 billion state investment over the next ten years to help communities plan for responsible growth, and increase the pace of land conservation, historic preservation and urban restoration to prevent sprawl from degrading our natural resources and destroying the heritage of our communities.

CACIWC PRIORIY LEGISLATION: Will provide testimony and grass roots leadership to support the Face of Connecticut legislation.

Funding for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
The DEP’s scope of responsibility covers all facets of environmental protection and management and reaches every Connecticut citizen on a daily basis. Yet despite its effectiveness the DEP continues to suffer from staffing restrictions and budget shortages. Program support comes mainly (approximately 70%) from decreasing federal funds. CACIWC is primarily concerned about inadequate staffing in the Bureaus of Water Management, Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation. CACIWC PRIORITY LEGISLATION: Will support legislation that will increase staffing for assisting: Municipal Inland Wetlands Commissions in carrying out their responsibilities (Water Management); for managing state forests (Natural Resources); and for managing and supervising state parks (Outdoor Recreation).

The Municipal Green Fund Bill, Proposed HB 6560 An Act Concerning a Local Option Municipal Green Fund.
The legislation establishes enabling legislation to permit a conveyance fee of 1.5%. The fee would provide municipalities with approximately $300 million per year towards a restricted "Green Fund" for projects that meet the regionally important test of improving water and air quality, energy conservation, and transportation efficiency. Green Funds can leverage private, state and federal matching grants. The conveyance fee, a regular local income source, can help secure lower interest rates on municipal borrowing. Over time, those municipalities that choose to enact this fee can chip away at their conservation priorities. Eventually, such a fund will provide huge benefits not only to the local community, but to neighboring towns downstream and to the State as a whole. CACIWC will provide grass roots support for Green Fund legislation.

An Act requiring Environmental Impact Statements prior to the conveyance of state land to a municipality: Proposed HB 5249
To assure that environmental safeguards are in place prior to conveying parcels of state land to a municipality. The CEPA Working Group, of which CACIWC is a member, is promoting legislation to change certain parts of the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to require environmental review of state land transfers. Every year state land is transferred to municipalities or other entities without appropriate environmental review. Once the land is transferred environmental review is at the discretion of the party receiving the land. The State would like to ensure that there is an environmental review to guide the proposed transfer and land use following transfer. CACIWC will support legislation that requires environmental review prior to transfer.

Lump Sum Bonding for Preserving Farmland :
Working Lands Alliance’s top legislative priority would create lump sum bonding authority for the state's Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program to preserve working farms. This will help streamline the processing of farm applications by providing lump sums of funding to the Dept of Agriculture (DOA) for the purpose of farmland preservation, as opposed to the current process that requires a specific request for funds one farm project at a time. As we go to press several bills have been introduced to create “lump sum” bonding for the PDR program. CACIWC will support lump sum bonding for DOA-PDR programs.

OPEN SPACE MANAGEMENT

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs):
CACIWC continues to support the need for legislation requiring that all ATVs must be registered, all must bear identification markers, and that registration fees should be used to purchase lands specifically designated for ATV use. CACIWC will oppose legislation that will to allow ATVs on State Forest land. It is possible that progress can be made with legislation for enforcing ATV encroachment with vehicle registration in 2007. As we go to press several ATV bills have been submitted.

Invasive Plants: An act concerning an appropriation to control invasive plants. Proposed SB 282 This bill proposes to appropriate the sum of five hundred thousand dollars for the Department of Environmental Protection, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, for use in invasive plant remediation and control and to implement the recommendations of the Invasive Plants Council. One of the greatest threats to municipal and land trust open space (forests, fields, wetlands and waterways) is invasive plants. CACIWC will support this legislation.

Expansion of the Bottle Bill: Proposed H.B. No. 6853, will reduce litter, increase consumer recycling and update the handling fee to better reflect retailer and redemption center costs. CACIWC will support expansion of redemption fees for beverage containers to include PET plastic bottles to help keep municipal and state parks, commuter parking lots, and town and state open space trails litter free.

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Clean Water Fund Support: Proposed HB 5010. This bill proposes to allocate one hundred million dollars to be deposited into the Clean Water Fund for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2008 and June 30, 2009. The Clean Water Fund has had substantial cuts in funding over the last five years halting clean water projects such as eliminating combined sewers and upgrading municipal sewers, thus threatening restoration efforts of major rivers and Long Island Sound. CACIWC supports legislation that will increase the Clean Water Fund bond allocation, including proposed bill NO. 5010.

Pesticide Use: Use of pesticides on lawns, school athletic fields and town parks contributes to non point source pollution and threatens public health. CACIWC supports legislation that reduces pesticide use and promotes integrated pest management.

INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSE PROTECTION

CACIWC will support legislation that protects inland wetlands and watercourses including legislation that enhances the enforcement of state and municipal wetland regulations. Conversely, CACIWC will oppose legislation that is likely to negatively affect the intent of Connecticut’s Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act.

CACIWC’s mission statement includes, “...to promote the legislative mandate of Connecticut Conservation Commissions and Inland Wetland Commissions / Agencies, and to foster environmental quality through education, and through conservation and protection of wetlands and other natural resources.” Methods for accomplishing this includes - providing advice and appropriate action on legislation and governmental affairs.

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