Connecticut HB 5152: AN ACT DECREASING LEGISLATIVE POSTAL COSTS.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5152
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1019

Referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENT

Introduced by:
(ENV)

AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN AUTHORITIES RELATED TO THE
PREVENTION OF WILDFIRES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (f) of section 22a-174 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
1, 2026): 3
(f) The commissioner shall allow the open burning of brush on 4
residential property, provided the burning is conducted by the resident 5
of the property or the agent of the resident and a permit for such burning 6
is obtained from the local open burning official of the municipality in 7
which the property is located, and the open burning of brush in 8
municipal landfills, transfer stations and municipal recycling centers, 9
provided a permit for such burning is obtained from the fire marshal of 10
the municipality where the facility is located, except that no open 11
burning of brush shall occur (1) when national or state ambient air 12
quality standards may be exceeded; (2) where a hazardous health 13
condition might be created; (3) when the forest fire danger in the area is 14
identified by the commissioner as high, very high or extreme and where 15

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woodland or grass land is within one hundred feet of the proposed 16
burn; (4) where there is an advisory from the commissioner of any air 17
pollution episode; (5) where prohibited by an ordinance of the 18
municipality; and (6) in the case of a municipal landfill, when such 19
landfill is within an area designated as a hot spot on the open burning 20
map prepared by the commissioner. A permit for the burning of brush 21
at any municipal landfill, municipal transfer station or municipal 22
recycling center shall be issued no more than six times in any calendar 23
year. The proposed permit to burn brush at any municipal landfill, 24
municipal transfer station or municipal recycling center shall be 25
submitted to the commissioner by the fire marshal, with the approval of 26
the chief elected official of the municipality in which the municipal 27
landfill, municipal transfer station or municipal recycling center is 28
located. The commissioner shall approve or disapprove the fire 29
marshal's proposed permitting of burning of brush at a municipal 30
landfill, municipal transfer station or municipal recycling center within 31
a reasonable time of the filing of such application. The burning of leaves, 32
demolition waste or other solid waste deposited in such landfill shall be 33
prohibited. The burning of nonprocessed wood for campfires and 34
bonfires is not prohibited if the burning is conducted so as not to create 35
a nuisance and in accordance with any restrictions imposed on such 36
burning. Nothing in this subsection or in any regulation adopted 37
pursuant to this subsection shall affect the power of any municipality to 38
regulate or ban the open burning of brush within its boundaries for any 39
purpose. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, fire 40
breaks for the purpose of controlling forest fires and controlled fires in 41
saltwater marshes to forestall uncontrolled fires are not prohibited. 42
Open burning may be engaged in for any of the following purposes if 43
the open burning official with jurisdiction over the area where the 44
burning will occur issues an open burning permit: Fire-training 45
exercises; eradication or control of insect infestations or disease; 46
agricultural purposes; clearing vegetative debris following a natural 47
disaster; and vegetative management or enhancement of wildlife habitat 48
or ecological sustainability on municipal property or on any privately 49
owned property permanently dedicated as open space. Open burning 50

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for such purposes on state property may be engaged in with the written 51
approval of the commissioner. Local burning officials nominated for the 52
purposes of this subsection shall be nominated only by the chief 53
executive officer of the municipality in which the official will serve and 54
shall be certified by the commissioner. The chief executive officer may 55
revoke the nomination. The commissioner may adopt regulations, in 56
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, governing open burning 57
and may authorize or prohibit open burning consistent with this section. 58
The regulations may require the payment of an application fee and 59
inspection fee and may establish a certification procedure for local 60
burning officials. 61
Sec. 2. Section 23-36 of the general statutes is repealed and the 62
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 63
The State Forest Fire Warden may take such action as said warden 64
deems necessary to provide for the prevention and control of forest fires. 65
Said warden