House
Republican Press Release
June 5,
2007
Press
Office: 860-240-8700
Chairman of the Commerce
Committee Jeff Berger (D-Waterbury) today announced passage by the House of Representatives of
a bill he authored, House Bill #7369, An Act Implementing The Recommendations
Of The Brownfields Task Force.
“The passage of this bill is a
culmination of many months of diligent work undertaken by the Commerce
Committee in conjunction with the Brownfields Task Force,” Rep. Berger said. “I
am pleased to have sponsored this important legislation as part of a Commerce
Committee priority this session.”
“This bill is a great start toward
putting people in place to address the many Brownfield sites in Waterbury. I look forward to working with the rest of the Waterbury delegation to utilize
all resources to clean up these sites.” said Rep. Butler.
“This legislation expands the
Brownfields Task Force, with the goal of remediating unsightly industrial sites
and establishing vital uses for them,” said Noujaim. “Such goals are critical
to solving the brownfields problem in the City of Waterbury.”
“This measure is of utmost
importance to the City of Waterbury – especially many dilapidated locations
within the 75th District,” Rep. Aldarondo said. “I am pleased to
have been able to work and extend my sincerest thanks to all members of the
Waterbury Delegation in support of this effort.”
“While the industrial history of Waterbury has made us known world-wide, our past has left us with a number of
brownfields,” said Representative D’Amelio. “This bill is an important step in
creating Waterbury’s new future.”
The
bill expands the duties of the Office of Brownfield Redevelopment (OBRD) within
the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and provides funds
for the OBRD for additional staff.
The
DECD is authorized to provide different types and combinations of financing for
investigating and cleaning up properties within available funds and allows the
Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to ask the
Attorney General to bring a civil action to recover certain costs. Additional
funding is anticipated to be appropriated with a final state budget for fiscal
years 2007-2008.
A
non-lapsing “Brownfield Remediation and Redevelopment account” is established
to be capitalized with Urban Act bonds. Additional funds that can be deposited
into the revolving loan fund include certain repayments of assistance, interest
or other income earned on the investment of any moneys in the fund and funds
brought about by any civil actions on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office.
A pilot
program will be established within the DECD concerning priority funding for
certain brownfield sites and the number of towns in the brownfield program will
be increased. $2.5 million has been allocated for fiscal year 2008 and $3
million in fiscal year 2009 for the initial pilot program.
The
Department of Public Health (DPH) must designate staff to act as a liaison with
the OBRD. The DECD, DEP, DPH and Connecticut Development Authority (CDA) must
enter into a memorandum of understanding concerning each entity's
responsibilities with respect to the OBRD.
Rep. Berger serves the 73rd
General Assembly District and is currently in his third term. He is Chairman
of the Commerce Committee and serves on the Finance, Revenue & Bonding and
the Judiciary Committee.
