Sen. Joan Hartley, co-chair of the Commerce Committee, led the Senate in a unanimous vote to pass legislation to facilitate the state’s transition from the Transfer Act to a timelier, release-based cleanup program for contaminated properties across Connecticut.
If approved by the House, Senate Bill 1404 will create a transition period to allow for the development and implementation of new regulations that would establish cleanup standards based on the level of contamination remaining at a site, rather than the previous Transfer Act’s requirement for full remediation before property transfer.
Presently, 141 Connecticut communities have properties under the Transfer Act, many of which have remained blighted and shuttered for decades due to the law’s onerous and costly requirements. The transition to a release-based cleanup model aims to break this logjam and accelerate the revitalization of these long-stalled sites.
“Today marks a significant step forward for Connecticut’s environmental and economic future,” Hartley, D-Waterbury, said. “This bill will empower our state to transition to a more efficient, release-based cleanup program, fostering responsible redevelopment of contaminated properties.”
Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, applauded Hartley’s work on the “complex and critically important” legislation.
“This new system will balance environmental protection with the need to revitalize our communities and attract new investment,” Looney said.
The legislation reflects nearly five years of work by a dedicated working group made up of a broad coalition of stakeholders—including environmental advocates, members of the regulated community and environmental advocates, the Connecticut Environmental Bar, realtors, bankers, and environmental professionals—who came together to develop a more practical and effective cleanup framework.
The bill’s goal is to streamline the cleanup process, reduce regulatory burdens, and encourage the redevelopment of contaminated properties while ensuring environmental protection.
Under this new model, cleanups will be required based on actual environmental releases rather than being triggered by property transactions. This shift is expected to eliminate unnecessary regulatory hurdles and unlock opportunities for brownfield redevelopment, particularly in struggling urban areas.
