2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 22a - Environmental Protection › Chapter 446h - Soil Conservation › Section 22a-314. (Formerly Sec. 25-104). - General duties of commissioner concerning soil and water erosion.

The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may (a) make or cause to be made surveys, investigations and research concerning the problems of soil and water erosion and its control and soil health and publish his findings and disseminate information concerning the subject; (b) cooperate with or enter into agreements with any state agency or any owner or occupant of land in this state to carry out the provisions of this section; (c) obtain options upon or acquire, by purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, bequest or devise, any property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein, maintain, administer and improve any property so acquired, and receive income from such property and expend such income in carrying out the purposes of this section; and may sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any such property or interest therein for such purposes; (d) accept contributions in money, services, materials or otherwise from the United States or from this state or from any person, firm or corporation for such purposes; (e) cooperate with and enter into agreements with soil and water conservation districts and boards to provide available federal resources to study and improve soil health; and (f) as a condition to extending of any material benefits to landowners, under this section, require contributions to any operations upon such land and require landowners who have consented to such work being done on their land to enter into and perform such agreements as to long-term use of such lands as will tend to prevent erosion thereon. Said commissioner, or any assistant or employee of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, may, at any reasonable time and upon notice by registered mail sent to the last-known address of the owner of such premises or with the oral permission of such owner or his agent, enter any premises while engaged in the performance of duty under the provisions of this title. Said commissioner shall have power to make necessary regulations to carry out the provisions of this section.
(1949 Rev., S. 3062, 3063; 1955, S. 1703d; November, 1955, S. N175; 1959, P.A. 637, S. 2; 1961, P.A. 67; 104, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 351; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 122; P.A. 74-325, S. 2, 5; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 21-88, S. 2.)
History: 1959 act replaced commissioner of agriculture with commissioner of agriculture, conservation and natural resources; 1961 acts replaced commissioner of agriculture, conservation and natural resources with commissioner of agriculture and natural resources and included “water” erosion as a concern under section provisions; 1967 act added provision authorizing commissioner and department personnel to enter premises while performing their duties; 1971 act replaced commissioner and department of agriculture and natural resources with commissioner and department of environmental protection; P.A. 74-325 deleted Subdiv. (b) which had required commissioner to assist individuals with soil and water erosion problems in formation of voluntary associations for mutual assistance in dealing with such problems; Sec. 25-104 transferred to Sec. 22a-314 in 1983; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” and “Department of Environmental Protection” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” and “Department of Energy and Environmental Protection”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 21-88 added reference to soil health, added new Subsec. (e) re agreements with soil and water conservation districts and redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f).