Press Releases
03/15/2021
DEEP to Hold Hearing, Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Spill Regs
(HARTFORD, CT) – Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes issued a Notice of Intent Thursday to adopt regulations governing the reporting of spills and releases commonly referred to as the Release Reporting Regulations.
Currently, under section 22a-450 of the Connecticut General Statutes, releases of substances such as oil, chemical liquids, and harmful hazardous materials must be reported to the Commissioner of DEEP, regardless of the quantity released. These reports are used to determine which releases necessitate dispatching DEEP’s emergency spill responders.
In this Notice of Intent, DEEP is proposing to update the Release Reporting Regulations to set minimum thresholds for the types of releases and the threshold quantities that trigger reporting and specify when, how, and what to report. Through these changes, DEEP expects that there will be a significant reduction in the number of releases that must be reported, while better enabling the Department to focus on those types of spills that pose the greatest threat to human health and the environment.
These proposed regulations are an important step in the implementation of Public Act No. 2-9 of the September Special Session and the modernization of Connecticut’s cleanup framework for contaminated sites. Public Act 2-9 authorized a sunset of the Transfer Act (a transactional and property-based cleanup program), and a transition to a release-based cleanup program.
The proposed changes are intended to: 1) promote more timely intervention and mitigation of releases; 2) improve the quality of information reported; and 3) enhance the effectiveness of the Department’s Emergency Response and Spill Prevention Division by allowing it to concentrate its resources on releases of greatest concern or threat to public health or the environment.
Updating spill-reporting regulations was identified as a specific goal in DEEP’s 20by20 initiative. The proposed regulations are advantageous not only to the regulated community but to the efficient use of DEEP’s resources, while maintaining environmental protection standards.
The proposed regulations, statement of purpose, regulatory flexibility analysis/small business impact statement and a fiscal note are all posted and available on the eRegulations System website (https://eregulations.ct.gov) using Tracking Number: PR2017-058 or can be obtained by contacting the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Emergency Response and Spill Division by email (DEEP.ReleaseRegs@ct.gov).
An online public hearing has been scheduled for April 27 at 1:30 p.m. All interested persons can register at: https://ctdeep.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIrfuGrrzgqGNLbdhPh9saaieXIpOTf5uL9.
Speakers are requested, although not required, to submit a written copy of their comments as instructed below. Interested persons are invited to comment upon the proposed regulations, in writing, during the public comment period. Public comment is open until 5:00 p.m. on May 10, 2021.
Comments may be submitted using one of the following methods:
1) Online via the eRegulations System (Tracking Number PR-2017-058).
2) By email to DEEP.ReleaseRegs@ct.gov
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DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
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