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Council Duties

The main responsibilities of the Council on Environmental Quality are described in Sections 22a-11 through 22a-13 of the Connecticut General Statutes.

The Council is a nine-member board that works independently of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (except for administrative functions). The Chairman and four other members are appointed by the Governor, two members by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and two by the Speaker of the House. The Council’s responsibilities include:

1. Submittal to the Governor of an annual report on the status of Connecticut’s environment, including progress toward goals of the statewide environmental plan, with recommendations for remedying deficiencies of state programs.
   
   
2. Review of state agencies’ construction projects.
   
   
3. Investigation of citizens’ complaints and allegations of violations of environmental laws..
   
   
4. Review of environmental impact evaluations that state agencies prepare for major projects under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). The CEPA regulations were amended in September 2019.
   
   
5. Publication of the Environmental Monitor, the site where all state agencies must post their scoping notices and environmental impact evaluations under CEPA. The Environmental Monitor also is the official publication for notice of intent by state agencies to sell or transfer state lands.
   
   
6. Participation in studies and working groups on environmental issues, as directed by the legislature.