AN ACT CONCERNING THE STANDARDS OF WATER QUALITY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 22a-426 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):

(a) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall adopt [, and may thereafter amend,] regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to establish standards of water quality applicable to the various waters of the state or portions thereof. [as provided in this section.] Such standards shall be consistent with the federal Water Pollution Control Act and shall be for the purpose of qualifying the state and its municipalities for available federal grants and for the purpose of providing clear and objective public policy statements of a general program to improve the water resources of the state; provided no standard of water quality adopted shall plan for, encourage or permit any wastes to be discharged into any of the waters of the state without having first received the treatment available and necessary for the elimination of pollution. Such standards of quality shall: (1) Apply to interstate waters or portions thereof within the state; (2) apply to such other waters within the state as the commissioner may determine is necessary; (3) protect the public health and welfare and promote the economic development of the state; (4) preserve and enhance the quality of state waters for present and prospective future use for public water supplies, propagation of fish and aquatic life and wildlife, recreational purposes and agricultural, industrial and other legitimate uses; (5) be consistent with health standards as established by the Department of Public Health. Any documentation that forms the basis for the standards sought to be adopted, amended or repealed shall be available to the public no later than sixty days prior to the date of the public notice required under section 4-168.

[(b) Prior to adopting, amending or repealing standards of water quality, the commissioner shall conduct a public hearing. Notice of such hearing specifying the waters for which standards are sought to be adopted, amended or repealed and the time, date and place of such hearing shall be published as provided in said subdivision (1) of section 22a-6 and also at least twice during the thirty-day period preceding the date of the hearing in a newspaper having a general circulation in the area affected and shall be given by certified mail to the chief executive officer of each municipality in such area. Prior to the hearing the commissioner shall make available to any interested person any information he has as to the water which is the subject of the hearing and the standards under consideration, and shall afford to any interested person the opportunity to submit to him any written material. At the hearing, any person shall have the right to make a written or oral presentation. A full transcript or recording of each hearing shall be made and kept available in the files of the Department of Environmental Protection.]

[(c)] (b) The commissioner shall establish the effective date of the adoption, amendment or repeal of standards of water quality, subject to the provisions of subdivision (1) of section 22a-6. Notice of such adoption, amendment or repeal shall be published in the Connecticut Law Journal upon acceptance thereof by the federal government.

[(d)] (c) The commissioner shall monitor the quality of the subject waters to demonstrate the results of his program to abate pollution.