(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may issue a permit for any minor activity regulated under sections 22a-342 to 22a-349, inclusive, except for any activity covered by an individual permit, if the commissioner determines that such activity would cause minimal environmental effects when conducted separately and would cause only minimal cumulative environmental effects, and will not cause any increase in flood heights or in the potential for flood damage or flood hazards. Such activities may include routine minor maintenance and routine minor repair of existing structures; replacement of existing culverts; installation of water monitoring equipment, including but not limited to staff gauges, water recording and water quality testing devices; removal of unauthorized solid waste; extension of existing culverts and stormwater outfall pipes; construction of irrigation and utility lines; and safety improvements with minimal environmental impacts within existing rights-of-way of existing roadways. Any person, firm or corporation conducting an activity for which a general permit has been issued shall not be required to obtain an individual permit under any other provision of said sections 22a-342 to 22a-349, inclusive, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section. A general permit shall clearly define the activity covered thereby and may include such conditions and requirements as the commissioner deems appropriate, including but not limited to, management practices and verification and reporting requirements. The general permit may require any person, firm or corporation, conducting any activity under the general permit to report, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, such activity to the commissioner before it shall be covered by the general permit. The commissioner shall prepare, and shall annually amend, a list of holders of general permits under this section, which list shall be made available to the public.

(b) Notwithstanding any other procedures specified in said sections 22a-342 to 22a-349, inclusive, any regulations adopted thereunder, and chapter 54, the commissioner may issue, revoke, suspend or modify a general permit in accordance with the following procedures: (1) The commissioner shall publish in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the affected area or areas notice of intent to issue a general permit; (2) the commissioner shall allow a comment period of thirty days following publication of such notice during which interested persons may submit written comments concerning the permit to the commissioner and the commissioner shall hold a public hearing if, within said comment period, he receives a petition signed by at least twenty-five persons; (3) the commissioner may not issue the general permit until after the comment period; and (4) the commissioner shall publish notice of any permit issued in a newspaper having substantial circulation in the affected area or areas. Any person may request that the commissioner issue, modify or revoke a general permit in accordance with this subsection.

(c) Subsequent to the issuance of a general permit, the commissioner may require any person, firm or corporation, to apply for an individual permit under the provisions of said sections 22a-342 to 22a-349, inclusive, for all or any portion of the activities covered by the general permit, if in the commissioner's judgment the purposes and policies of such sections would be best served by requiring an application for an individual permit. The commissioner may require an individual permit under this subsection only if the affected person, firm or corporation has been notified in writing that an individual permit is required. The notice shall include a brief statement of the reasons for the decision and a statement that upon the date of issuance of such notice the general permit as it applies to the individual activity will terminate.

(d) Any general permit issued under subsection (a) of this section may require that any person, firm or corporation intending to conduct an activity covered by such general permit give written notice of such intention to the inland wetlands agency, zoning commission, planning commission or combined planning and zoning commission and conservation commission of any municipality which will or may be affected by such activity. The general permit shall specify the information required to be contained in the notice.

(e) The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the purposes of this section.

(P.A. 91-263, S. 4, 8; P.A. 92-162, S. 16, 25; P.A. 05-174, S. 5; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 92-162 amended Subsec. (d) to provide that any person may submit comments to the commissioner concerning regulated activities permitted under this section prior to commencement of such activities and changed the deadline for such comments from 30 days prior to such commencement to 25 days; P.A. 05-174 deleted “placement of greenhouses or hoophouses lacking concrete foundations” in Subsec. (a) and made general permit conditions discretionary, made conforming changes and deleted provisions re 60-day notice, notice availability to the public and submission of written comments to commissioner in Subsec. (d); pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 2011.