Wave 2 Revisions to the Remediation Standard Regulations and Environmental Use Restriction Regulations - Concepts and History

The proposed amendments to the regulations were adopted on February 16, 2021 and superseded by the Release-Based Cleanup Regulations on March 1, 2026.

Public Comment Documents and Summary

Wave 2 RSRs & EUR Regulations Q&A

Remediation Standards Regulations

RSRs - Response to Key Comments
RSRs eRegulation - Regulation Making Webpage
Red-Line/[Blue-Line] version of Proposed Remediation Standard Regulations (updated after public comments)- This document contains deleted/moved language in bracketed blue text and added/moved language in underlined red text. This version of the Revised RSRs is unofficial and made available for the convenience of the reader. Accompanying this document is the Alternative Groundwater Protection Criteria Map in GIS format. This version of the Revised RSRs is unofficial and made available for the convenience of the reader.
Summary of Changes – This document summarizes the major changes made in the 2019 proposed RSRs, and the page numbers listed accompany the original Red-Line/[Blue-Line] version of the proposed RSRs.
Table of Contents to the Proposed Amendments to the RSRs and the Red-Line/[Blue-Line] version.

Environmental Use Restrictions

EURs –Response to Key Comments
EURs eRegulation - Regulation Making Webpage
Proposed Amendments to the Environmental Use Restriction Regulations – These are the 2019 proposed EURs submitted for public notice on September 27, 2019.

Wave 2 Revision Concepts

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) presented proposed concepts in the RSR Wave 2 Conceptual Language document, as well as at multiple question and answer sessions in April 2016, and accepted public feedback through May 6, 2016. Based on the external comments provided to DEEP and internal review of the April 2016 RSR Wave 2 Conceptual Language document, the Revised RSR Wave 2 Conceptual Language document was generated in August 2016.

RSRs "Wave 2" Draft Discussion Documents

As a basis for future amendments to the RSRs, the Department developed “public discussion drafts”, the purpose of which was to provide more detail to the concepts set forth in the November 2012 Cleanup Transformation and Evaluation Workgroup reports and the February 2013 Cleanup Transformation report:

Fate and Transport Interim Update for Volatilization Criteria (May 6, 2016)
Surveys for Environmental Use Restrictions (July 8, 2015)
Potential Changes to RSRs: Urban Soil (March 26, 2015)
Notice of Activity and Use Limitation Regulations and Additions to ELUR Regulations (January 15, 2015)
Direct Exposure Criteria for Passive Recreation (April 30, 2014)
Alternative Pollution Mobility Criteria Options (February 18, 2014)
Potential Institutional Control Changes to RSRs and EUR Regulations (November 14, 2013)
Potential Changes to RSRs: Sediment (November 14, 2013)
Alternative Groundwater Protection Criteria Concept (August 8, 2013)
Monitored Natural Attenuation Concept (August 8, 2013)
Self-Implementing Concept for Engineered Controls (August 8, 2013)

Risk-Based Decision Making Report

DEEP's "Risk-Based Decision Making Recommendation Report", dated April 15, 2015, was prepared in accordance with Section 28 of Public Act 13-308. The Public Act, passed on July 12, 2013, charged DEEP, in consultation with the Department of Public Health (DPH), to evaluate the risk-based decision making processes related to the remediation of contaminated sites in Connecticut. DEEP summarized this report at a presentation to the public on April 28, 2015.

DEEP's report is based on its review and analysis, in consultation with DPH, of CDM Smith's report dated August 29, 2014 “Evaluation of Risk-Based Decision Making”, the public comments on CDM Smith's report, and DEEP's own research. While many aspects of Connecticut's risk-based decision making are consistent with other states and reflect "best practices," DEEP's report contains recommendations for improvements in three areas:

Ecological risk assessment and management,
Updating numeric criteria, and
Risk-based flexible remedy options.

Content last updated February 27, 2026

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection