March 25 2026 Meeting Minutes

Draft Minutes

DRAFT MINUTES

THESE DRAFT MINUTES HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY STAFF AS A RECORD OF WHAT OCCURRED AT THE MEETING. AT THE NEXT MEETING, COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL REVIEW THESE MINUTES AND MIGHT MAKE CORRECTIONS BEFORE APPROVING THEM. READERS SHOULD RELY ON THE APPROVED VERSION FOR A COMPLETELY ACCURATE RECORD.

Minutes of March 25, 2026, meeting of the Council on Environmental Quality (Council) held in the Holcombe Room, fifth floor, 79 Elm Street, Hartford and via Zoom.

MEMBERS PRESENT: (Remote) Aimee Petras (Acting Chair), Cinzia Lettieri, Timothy Bishop, William Warzecha, Denise Rodosevich, (In Person) Linda Bowers, and Christopher Donnelly.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Paul Aresta (Council - Executive Director), Ryan Carboni (Council – Environmental Analyst), and Rebecca Dahl (Office of Policy and Management (OPM)).

1. Call to Order: Establishment of a Quorum

At 9:30 AM, Petras called the meeting to order, took attendance, and confirmed that there was a quorum of Council members present.

2. Approval of minutes of February 25, 2026

Warzecha made a motion to approve the draft minutes from the Council’s meeting on February 25, 2026; seconded by Lettieri The motion was approved unanimously with Rodosevich abstaining because she was not present at the previous meeting.

3. Citizen Comment Period

There was no citizen comment.

4. Citizen Complaints and Inquiries Received

• Carboni reported that the Council received a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for certain purchasing records for 2025. He added that Council staff forwarded the FOIA request to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) who informed the requestor to submit the request through their FOIA portal webpage, and the purchasing records would be provided.
  
  
• Carboni reported that the Council received a suggestion/inquiry from an individual regarding improving the access and trail system at Mamacoke Island Natural Area. He added that Council staff informed the individual that Mamacoke Island is owned by Connecticut College and suggested that the individual contact Connecticut College directly.

• Aresta reported that the Council received a complaint from residents in Willington regarding the suspected release of petroleum/chemicals on the property that they rent. He added that Council staff forwarded the complaint to the Division Director of DEEP’s Emergency Response & Spill Prevention Division. He also added that a representative from that Division notified him that another inspection of the site was completed and DEEP will seek to have the property owner secure a contractor/ Licensed Environmental Professional (LEP) to investigate the situation and develop a plan for remediation, if necessary.

5. Executive Director’s Report

• Annual Report
  Aresta noted that the draft annual report has been distributed, and comments provided by Council members were addressed. He added that there are possible changes to the indicators for 1) water temperature in Long Island Sound, and 2) swimming. There was general discussion regarding the data to be used for each of the indicators. It was the consensus of the Council members to 1) use the annual average temperature for the surface and bottom of Long Island Sound with a note to indicate that the data is incomplete for 2024 and 2025, and 2) use the revised chart for water quality closures and advisories with a note that the chart does not include 63 days for a closure in Bridgeport that was not associated with water quality. Rodosevich suggested adding a recommendation to have DEEP undertake the data collection efforts for the miniature alcohol beverage containers (Nips).

6. State Agency and Legislative Actions

a. DEEP

• Notice of Updated Forest Resource Management Plan - Quaddick State Forest
  Aresta reported that Council staff reviewed the draft Forest Resource Management Plan (FMP) for the Quaddick State Forest (QSF). He summarized the proposed forest management activities identified in the FMP and noted that draft comments have been developed that address cultural resources, Old Forestland Management, restoration activities, climate change, wildlife, and definitions/clarification of certain information.
  
  Petras made a motion to approve the draft comments for the FMP; seconded by Donnelly. The motion was approved unanimously.
  
  
• General Permit for the Discharge of Dewatering and Remediation Wastewaters – Update
  Carboni reported that Council staff reviewed the General Permit and DEEP’s responses to the Council’s  comments that were submitted on or about January 23, 2026, to assess how the Council’s comments were received. He added that DEEP made some substantial changes in response to the Council’s comments regarding water quality, wildlife, additional screening, and information requirements, including requirements for a Natural Diversity Database (NDDB) Determination, and Department of Public Health approval for certain discharges. Rodosevich suggested reviewing the Council’s comments that were not addressed by DEEP.

b. Connecticut Siting Council (CSC)

• Docket 550 (solar, Plainfield/Sterling)
  Carboni reported that Council staff reviewed a proposal from Brookfield Husky Solar to construct and operate a 50 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) facility in the Towns of Plainfield and Sterling. He summarized the proposed project and some of the environmental conditions of the proposed sites. He added that draft comments have been drafted that address wildlife, farmland soils, core forest, vernal pools and wetland protection, and spill prevention. Bishop suggested adding a recommendation to include a gap at the bottom of the security fence to allow for the migration of vernal pool obligate species within the critical terrestrial habitat (CTH). Aresta indicated that he and Carboni will review the application materials and, if not present, he would add that recommendation to the Council’s comments. Rodosevich suggested adding a recommendation to mark or flag the vernal pools and vernal pool envelope in the field to avoid any unintentional encroachment. Bishop suggested adding a recommendation for time of year restriction on certain construction activities proximate to the vernal pools. Rodosevich suggested sending the Council’s comments to the Inland Wetlands and watercourses Commissions for the Towns of Plainfield and Sterling, and DEEP’s NDDB and Inland Wetlands Management Programs. Donnelly suggested adding a phrase that the area has a significant concentration of vernal pools.
  
  Bishop made a motion to approve the draft comments for CSC Docket 550 with the suggested additions; seconded by Donnelly. The motion was approved unanimously.
  
  
• Docket 549 (telecom, Bethlehem)
  Carboni reported that Council staff reviewed a proposal from New Cingular Wireless to construct and operate a 130-foot tall monopole tower within a 2,500 square foot fenced compound on a town-owned parcel located in Bethlehem. He summarized the proposed project.
  
  

• Petition 1705 (telecom, Southbury)
  Carboni reported that Council staff reviewed a proposal from T-Mobile  to modify an existing telecommunication tower and compound in Southbury. He summarized the proposed project. Rodosevich inquired if a new access road will be constructed to reach the proposed site. Aresta indicated that the site will use an existing access road.
  
  
• Petition 1706 (telecom, Norwalk)
  Carboni reported that Council staff reviewed a proposal from Verizon to install a wireless telecommunication facility on the roof of a hotel in Norwalk. He summarized the proposed project.

c. Legislature

• Status of proposed bills
  Aresta reported that the Council submitted testimony for three proposed bills on March 3, and five additional proposed bills on March 12. He summarized the status of the proposed bills for which the Council submitted testimony. Donnelly suggested that Council staff also track Raised Bill 5551.

7. Other Business 

Aresta noted that the Council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for April 22, 2026, at 9:30 AM and it will be a remote meeting.

Aresta suggested that a representative from DEEP’s Inland Wetlands Management Program could provide the Council with an update/presentation at the next meeting. It was the consensus of the Council to invite DEEP to provide a brief presentation at the next meeting.

Rodosevich questioned the status of the second balloon flight for a proposed tower application and whether the Council should assess how the Council’s comments are received by applicants and the CSC. There was general discussion regarding how best to assess the potential impact of the Council’s comments on the application materials and the CSC’s decisions. Aresta suggested that Council staff could review the CSC’s decisions’ records and assess if the Council’s comments were addressed in some way.

Warzecha made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 11:01 AM; seconded by Rodosevich. The motion was approved unanimously. The meeting was concluded.

A recording¹ of the meeting is available online and by email request of the Council (email to: CEQ@ct.gov). (Disclaimer: The transcript associated with the meeting recording is computer-generated and may contain typos that have not been edited.)

 

¹ Passcode: 1y=+VmR0
https://ctdeep.zoom.us/rec/share/fQNFzFfPZjoBB6Tg3tqmSSbXFFaOkLrY2hg3pZMJgpkRwRg8QoJaQLQwVGFC3Fbx.jAhadYW7RjGR4Dbm