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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 1092
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ACQUISITION AND CONVEYANCE OF
CERTAIN PROPERTIES BY CONNECTICUT BROWNFIELD LAND
BANKS.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes Connecticut brownfield land banks (CBLBs) to
enter into land banking agreements with regional councils of
governments (RCOGs) to acquire, retain, remediate, and sell property
in an RCOG’s planning region. Under current law, CBLBs may only
enter into land banking agreements with municipalities, and the
agreements are required for CBLBs to acquire brownfield sites or
adjacent properties.
The bill makes corresponding changes to treat RCOGs the same as
municipalities under the current CBLB law. These changes (1) allow a
CBLB to acquire brownfield sites or adjacent properties identified in the
land banking agreement with the RCOG; (2) require the RCOG’s
approval before the CBLB conveys, exchanges, transfers, or sells the
property; (3) allow CBLBs to enter into contracts and agreements with
RCOGs to provide staffing to the CBLB; and (4) allow CBLBs to get grant
funds or borrow from RCOGs for the CBLB’s operations.
The bill also expands the statutory purpose of CBLBs to include
acquiring, retaining, remediating, and selling brownfields in the state to
enhance rivers’ aquatic life and environmental quality, under land
banking agreements with RCOGs. In doing so, it requires the economic
and community development commissioner , when determining
whether to approve an application for CBLB certification, to consider
whether the applicant is financially and technically capable of fulfilling
this new purpose, in addition to the other purposes specified in current
law (CGS § 32-771). Under current law, a CBLB’s purposes also include 2023SB-01092-R000297-BA.DOCX
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(1) acquiring, retaining, remediating, and selling brownfields to benefit
municipalities and (2) educating government officials, community
leaders, economic development agencies, and nonprofit organizations
on best practices for redeveloping brownfields.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2023
COMMITTEE ACTION
Commerce Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 23 Nay 1 (03/14/2023)