Connecticut HB 5475: AN ACT CONCERNING OVERSIGHT OF PERMITTING PROCESSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5475
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING OVERSIGHT OF PERMITTING PROCESSES
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) Not later than January 1, 2027, the 1
Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall assess and 2
report on potential methods to facilitate the permitting process of 3
general permits, including (1) the use of artificial intelligence tools to do 4
the preliminary review of all applications, and (2) the feasibility of 5
creating an expedited review process with increased fees for the 6
expedited service for certain permits and identifying any permits 7
appropriate for such service and any statutory changes required to 8
effectuate such expedited review process. 9
(b) Not later than January 1, 2027, the Commissioner of Energy and 10
Environmental Protection shall assess and report on methods to 11
facilitate the permitting process of individual permits, including, but not 12
limited to, (1) permits for solid waste, thermal loop and fuel cell power 13
generation and coastal land management, whether there are increased 14
automation tools that businesses and municipalities could use to reform 15
the timeline and costs of permitting, and (2) the feasibility of creating an 16
expedited review process with increased fees for the expedited service 17
for certain permits and identifying any permits appropriate for such 18

Substitute Bill No. 5475

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service and any statutory changes required to effectuate such expedited 19
review process. 20
(c) Not later than January 1, 2027, the Commissioner of Energy and 21
Environmental Protection shall assess and report on the feasibility of 22
automating and reducing fees for the renewal of permits where the 23
applicant does not have any changes to the information given for the 24
original permit or the factors concerning permit renewal. 25
(d) Not later than January 1, 2027, the Commissioner of Energy and 26
Environmental Protection shall submit a report, in accordance with the 27
provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing 28
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 29
relating to the environment and government oversight. Such report 30
shall include the results of the commissioner's assessments pursuant to 31
subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of this section and any recommendations 32
for legislation. 33
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 from passage New section

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Subsec. (b)(1),"permits" and "power generation" were moved for
clarity.

GOS Joint Favorable Subst. C/R ENV