O F F I C E O F L E G I S L A T I V E R E S E A R C H
P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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PA 23-108—sSB 73 (VETOED)
Environment Committee
AN ACT ESTABLISHING LOCAL REPRESENTATION ON THE
CONNECTICUT SITING C OUNCIL FOR LOCAL PRO JECTS
SUMMARY: For any Connecticut Siting Council proceeding that occurs on or
after October 1, 2023, this act would have required the council’s membership to
include an elector from the municipality where the subject facility is being
proposed, in addition to the existing membership (see BACKGROUND). Under
the act, the municipality’s chief elected official would have appointed the elector.
If the proposed facility was to be located in more than one municipality, the
applicable regional council of governments for the affected municipalities would
have appointed the elector.
The act would have required the elector to serve as a nonvoting member and
abide by all applicable confidentiality rules. By law, public members of the council
must be compensated for their attendance at public hearings, executive sessions, or
other council business at a rate of $200 per activity, capped at $200 a day.
The act also would have made technical and conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2023
BACKGROUND
Siting Council Membership – Energy and Telecommunications
For energy and telecommunications facility proceedings, the existing council
membership includes the following nine members:
1. the energy and environmental protection commissioner or her designee,
2. the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority chairperson or her designee,
3. one designee each from the House speaker and Senate president pro
tempore, and
4. five members of the public appointed by the governor.
At least two of the public members must have ecology experience. Only one
may have a past or present affiliation with a (1) utility; (2) utility regulatory agency;
or (3) person owning, operating, controlling, or contracting with a facility,
hazardous waste facility, or ash residue disposal area.
Siting Council Membership – Hazardous Waste
For hazardous waste facility proceedings, the existing council consists of the
following 13 members:
1. the public health and emergency services and public protection
commissioners or their designees; O L R P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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2. the designees of the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore as
described above;
3. the five members of the public appointed by the governor as described
above; and
4. four ad hoc members, three of whom are electors from the municipality
where the facility is being proposed and one from a neighboring
municipality likely to be most affected by the proposed facility.
By law, if any of the governor’s appointed public members or the House
speaker’s or Senate president pro tempore’s designees live in the municipality
where a hazardous or low-level radioactive waste facility is proposed or in the
neighboring municipality most likely to be affected by the proposed facility, then
the appointing authority must appoint a substitute member for the proceedings on
that proposed facility.