Press Releases
03/11/2026
DEEP and DECD Mark Implementation of New Release-Based Cleanup Program
Effective March 1, 2026, the Connecticut Transfer Act officially sunset and was replaced by the new Release Based Cleanup program
(HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) announced today that on March 1, 2026, the Connecticut Transfer Act officially sunset and was replaced by the new Release-Based Cleanup program, a new regulatory framework that will streamline the remediation and redevelopment of blighted properties impacted by pollution from past industrial uses, a game-changing transition for Connecticut that is a win for both the environment and the economy.
The release-based program is the result of a four-year, legislatively authorized, stakeholder-driven process to overhaul the Transfer Act, the state’s framework governing the cleanup of contaminated sites. Almost 5,000 properties have entered into the Transfer Act program since the 1980s, however less than half have been remediated. The new framework aligns Connecticut’s regulatory environment with the approach used in 48 other states, allowing for faster, owner-initiated cleanups that will address longstanding pollution and bring blighted properties back to productive reuse.
The new regulatory program was approved by the Connecticut General Assembly last spring. Since then, DEEP and DECD have continued to work with a wide variety of stakeholders in impacted industries and beyond to prepare the state for this important transition. This work includes development of information sheets, question and answer sessions, building up an online library of resources for a variety of stakeholders, and a range of training sessions. In addition, as part of this transition to a modern, release- and risk-based cleanup program, the state has also developed a state-of-the-art online reporting and tracking system for the regulated community, which also dramatically increases transparency in the status of release cleanups across the state.
“This transition to a release-based cleanup system will revolutionize environmental cleanup and drive investment in Connecticut,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “These polluted properties are often located in our urban and village centers-prime locations for living and working throughout the state. This new cleanup program removes barriers to redevelopment and will bring more of these polluted properties into beneficial reuse.”
"The transition to release-based cleanup regulations powerfully demonstrates Connecticut’s commitment to creating new pathways for growth and strengthening our state's economic competitiveness,” said DECD Deputy Commissioner and Chief Investment Officer Matt Pugliese, who oversees the Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development. “By replacing the outdated and complex system with a clear and predictable framework, we are making it much easier for investors, property owners and municipalities to clean up and redevelop polluted properties into assets that will create jobs, boost vibrancy, and accelerate our economic growth.”
The regulations were developed by DEEP in collaboration with DECD and a stakeholder working group. Starting in December 2020, DEEP and DECD met at least monthly with a working group of more than 50 environmental transaction attorneys, commercial real estate brokers, and licensed environmental professionals who work every day to remediate and redevelop polluted property in Connecticut. The resulting cleanup program will make it easier to clean up polluted sites, bringing thousands of properties back into productive reuse. Economists at DECD estimate that moving to a release-based system will have significant economic benefits, generating more than 2,100 new construction jobs, $3.78 billion in new GDP growth, and $115 million in new revenue for the state over the next five years alone.
The release-based regulations also usher in many practical cleanup provisions that will aid all release cleanups. This is true both for properties under the new release-based framework and those continuing to close out obligations under Brownfield program or other prior cleanup obligations. These standards will reduce costs for cleanups by eliminating unnecessary steps and by taking into further consideration the end use of the site. DEEP and DECD anticipate this will especially benefit multi-family housing or mixed-use development and commercial or industrial use cases.
Information about the Release-Based Cleanup program development is available here: Release-Based Clean Up Regulation Development
More information on the state’s cleanup programs can be found here: Environmental Cleanup
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110