Connecticut HB 5153: AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR REVISIONS TO DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION RELATED STATUTES.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5153 
 
Public Act No. 26-124 
 
 
AN  ACT  CONCERNING  MINOR  REVISIONS  TO  DEPARTMENT  OF 
ENERGY     AND     ENVIRONMENTAL     PROTECTION     RELATED 
STATUTES. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Subsection (c) of section 7-131d of the 2026 supplement to 
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 
thereof (Effective from passage): 
(c) Grants  may  be  made  under  the  protected  open  space  and 
watershed land acquisition grant program established under subsection 
(a)  of  this  section  for  restoration  or  protection  of  natural  features  or 
habitats of, or for repurposing for urban agricultural use on, open space 
already owned by a (1) distressed municipality, as defined in section 32-
9p, (2) targeted investment community, as defined in section 32-222, (3) 
municipality, provided such open space is located in an environmental 
justice  community,  as defined  in  section  22a-20a, or  is  immediately 
adjacent to a United States census block group described in subdivision 
(1) of subsection (a) of section 22a-20a, or (4) nonprofit land conservation 
organization,  provided  such  open  space  is  located  in  a  distressed 
municipality, targeted investment community or environmental justice 
community or is immediately adjacent to a United States census block 
group described in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 22a-20a. 

Substitute House Bill No. 5153 
 
Public Act No. 26-124 2 of 15 
 
Such restoration or protection may include, but need not be limited to, 
(A) wetland, wildlife or plant habitat restoration or restoration of other 
sites  to  a  more  natural  condition,  (B)  urban  agricultural  use,  or  (C) 
replacement of vegetation. The total amount of grants made pursuant to 
this subsection shall not exceed twenty per cent of the total amount of 
grants made pursuant to the open space and watershed land acquisition 
grant program in any fiscal year. 
Sec.  2.  Subsection  (c)  of  section  7-131g  of  the  general  statutes  is 
repealed  and  the  following  is  substituted  in  lieu  thereof  (Effective  from 
passage): 
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of [subdivision (3) of subsection 
(c) of] subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of section 7-
131d,  any  land  that  is  the  subject  of  the  execution  or  recording  of  a 
conservation  easement  or  restriction [that  resulted  from  a  federally 
funded   land   conservation   program,   municipal   conservation   grant 
program   or   a   private   conservation   grant   program,] prior   to   the 
recording   of   a   permanent   conservation   easement   described   in 
subsection [(e)] (f) of  section  7-131d [,] shall  not  be  construed  to 
constitute   land   that   has   already   been   committed   for   public   use, 
provided: 
(1) Such prior conservation easement or restriction is executed [after 
the execution of the grant agreement for a grant to preserve such land 
under  the  provisions  of  this  section] or  reserved  not  more  than  six 
months  prior  to  the  application  deadline  for  the  grant  round  under 
which the acquisition of the state's interest in such land will be funded, 
(2) at the time of the recording of the permanent conservation easement 
required   pursuant   to   subsection [(e)] (f) of   section   7-131d,   any 
nonfederal   holder   of   any   such   prior   easement   subordinates   such 
holder's interests in the land to the interests of the state [,] in form and 
substance    satisfactory    to    the    Commissioner    of    Energy    and 
Environmental Protection, and (3) [such other federal funds, municipal 

Substitute House Bill No. 5153 
 
Public Act No. 26-124 3 of 15 
 
grant  funds  or  private  grant  funds  are  used  as  matching  funds  for  a 
grant  issued  under  this  section,  and  (4)] the  Commissioner  of  Energy 
and   Environmental   Protection   determines,   based   on   all   pertinent 
circumstances, that the conveyance of such other conservation easement 
or restriction, in combination with the acquisition of the state's interest 
under this section, constitutes one concurrent acquisition of property or 
interests therein. 
Sec. 3. Subsection (d) of section 22a-202 of the 2026 supplement to the 
general  statutes  is  repealed  and  the  following  is  substituted  in  lieu 
thereof (Effective from passage): 
(d) On  and  after  July  1,  2022,  the  Commissioner  of  Energy  and 
Environmental  Protection  shall  establish  and  administer  a  program  to 
provide  rebates  or  vouchers  to  residents,  municipalities,  businesses, 
nonprofit  organizations  and  tribal  entities  located  in  this state  when 
such   residents,   municipalities,   businesses,   organizations   or   tribal 
entities purchase or lease a new or used battery electric vehicle, plug-in 
hybrid electr