With respect to the state of Connecticut and as long as the Interstate Environmental Commission shall be engaged in a program relating to air pollution on behalf of the state of New York or the states of New York and New Jersey, the Interstate Environmental Commission shall, in addition to its other powers, duties and functions, have authority, in accordance with Article III of the tri-state compact set forth in section 22a-294, to engage in activities with respect to interstate air pollution problems between or among the states of Connecticut and New York or Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, as the case may be, as follows: (1) To conduct studies; (2) to undertake research, testing and development; (3) to gather, exchange and disseminate information with and among public or private bodies, persons or organizations and to cooperate with any of them in solving air pollution problems; (4) to take samplings and to trace sources of air pollutants; (5) to refer complaints to an appropriate enforcement agency or agencies of the states in which the sources are located and to which air pollutants are carried, along with such data and information as it may have obtained with respect to the nature, characteristics, source, path and effect of air pollutants; (6) to make recommendations and reports to the governors and legislatures of the participating states. The primary effort of the Interstate Environmental Commission under this section shall be directed to air contaminant solids, liquids or gases which are toxic, disagreeable or irritant, or which are destructive. In carrying out its functions under this section, the Interstate Environmental Commission shall make use of the services, facilities and information of existing state, local and federal agencies wherever feasible and available. In furtherance of the purposes of this section, the Interstate Environmental Commission is empowered to accept moneys, property and other donations or gifts from any person whatever, whether public, private or governmental, real or artificial. No trade secret or secret process shall be inquired into by the Interstate Environmental Commission under this section, whether with respect to one or more of the substances or one or more of the processes, operations, techniques or devices used in connection therewith, and whenever a trade secret or secret process is involved, the activity under this section shall be limited to the identification of the device or facility from which the effluent discharged into the outer air derives, and the nature, rate and period of emission of such effluent. All information obtained from any sampling, tracing or other specific inquiry performed under this section shall be kept and maintained as a confidential disclosure and, except as may be essential for the purpose of referring a complaint to an appropriate enforcement agency and of any enforcement proceeding by or before any such agency, shall not be disclosed or published in any way other than such as will not identify a given substance, process, operation, technique or device with the physical location or identity of the source plant or facility, or with the product made or service performed, or with the person or persons using the same. A printed copy of the provisions of this section shall be furnished on request to any person furnishing information to the Interstate Environmental Commission and, in case of an inquiry at a plant or facility, to the person then in charge of the same.

(1969, P.A. 620, S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-143, S. 5, 7; P.A. 06-196, S. 258.)

History: Sec. 25-66a transferred to Sec. 22a-305 in 1983; P.A. 86-143 changed commission name from Interstate Sanitation Commission to Interstate Environmental Commission, effective upon enactment by the United States, New York and New Jersey of legislation having like effect, namely October 27, 2000; P.A. 06-196 made technical changes, effective June 7, 2006.