2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 22a - Environmental Protection › Chapter 446i - Water Resources. Invasive Plants › Section 22a-354x. - Duties of the commissioner. Technical, coordinating and research services. Supervision. Powers of the commissioner. Annual report.

(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health and water companies, shall provide, within available appropriations, technical, coordinating and research services to promote the effective administration of sections 19a-37, 22-6c, 22a-354c, 22a-354e, 22a-354g to 22a-354bb, inclusive, 25-32d, 25-33h and 25-33n and subsection (a) of section 25-84 at the federal, state and local levels.
(b) The commissioner shall have the overall responsibility for general supervision of the implementation of sections 19a-37, 22-6c, 22a-354c, 22a-354e, 22a-354g to 22a-354bb, inclusive, 25-32d, 25-33h and 25-33n and subsection (a) of section 25-84 and shall monitor and evaluate the activities of federal and state agencies and the activities of municipalities to assure continuing, effective, coordinated and consistent administration of the requirements and purposes of said sections.
(c) The commissioner shall exercise all incidental powers, including, but not limited to, the issuance of orders necessary to enforce rules and regulations adopted in accordance with sections 22a-354i to 22a-354m, inclusive, to carry out the purposes of sections 22a-354a to 22a-354bb, inclusive.
(d) The commissioner shall prepare and submit to the General Assembly and the Governor, on or before December first of each year, a written report summarizing the activities of the department concerning the development and implementation of sections 19a-37, 22-6c, 22a-354c, 22a-354e, 22a-354g to 22a-354bb, inclusive, 25-32d, 25-33h and 25-33n and subsection (a) of section 25-84 during the previous year. Such report shall include, but not be limited to: (1) The department's accomplishments and actions in achieving the goals and policies of said sections including, but not limited to, coordination with other state, regional, federal and municipal programs established to achieve the purposes of said sections; (2) recommendations for any statutory or regulatory amendments necessary to achieve such purposes; (3) a summary of municipal and federal programs and actions which affect aquifer protection areas; (4) recommendations for any programs or plans to achieve such purposes; (5) any aspects of the program or said sections which are proving difficult to accomplish, suggested reasons for such difficulties and proposed solutions to such difficulties; (6) a summary of the expenditure of federal and state funds under said sections; and (7) a request for an appropriation of funds necessary to match federal funds and provide continuing financial support for the program. Such report shall comply with the provisions of section 46a-78. On and after October 1, 1996, the report shall be submitted to the Governor, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and budgets of state agencies and relating to the environment and, upon request, to any member of the General Assembly. A summary of the report shall be submitted to each member of the General Assembly if the summary is two pages or less and a notification of the report shall be submitted to each member if the summary is more than two pages. Submission shall be by mailing the report, summary or notification to the legislative address of each member of the committee or the General Assembly, as applicable.
(P.A. 89-305, S. 18, 32; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-251, S. 11; P.A. 07-85, S. 7; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-251 amended Subsec. (c) by requiring that on and after October 1, 1996, the report also be submitted to Governor and appropriations and environment committees and to legislators upon request and by adding provisions re submission of report summaries to legislators; P.A. 07-85 inserted new Subsec. (c) re powers of commissioner and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d); pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 2011.