(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection or any person aggrieved by any regulation, order, decision or action made pursuant to sections 22a-354o to 22a-354t, inclusive, or section 14 of public act 89-305* by the commissioner or municipality, within fifteen days after publication of such regulation, order, decision or action may appeal to the superior court for the judicial district where the land affected is located, and if located in more than one judicial district, to said court in any such judicial district, except if such appeal is from a contested case, as defined in section 4-166, such appeal shall be in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183 and venue shall be in the judicial district where the land affected is located, and if located in more than one judicial district to the court in any such judicial district. Such appeal shall be made returnable to said court in the same manner as that prescribed for civil actions brought to said court. Notice of such appeal shall be served upon the aquifer protection agency and the commissioner. The commissioner may appear as a party to any action brought by any other person within thirty days from the date such appeal is returned to the court. The appeal shall state the reasons upon which it is predicated and shall not stay proceedings on the regulation, order, decision or action, but the court may, on application and after notice, grant a restraining order. Such appeal shall have precedence in the order of trial.

(b) The court, upon the motion of the person who applied for such order, decision or action, shall make such person a party defendant in the appeal. Such defendant may, at any time after the return date of such appeal, make a motion to dismiss the appeal. At the hearing on such motion to dismiss, each appellant shall have the burden of proving his standing to bring the appeal. The court may, upon the record, grant or deny the motion. The court's order on such motion shall be a final judgment for the purpose of the appeal as to each such defendant. No appeal may be taken from any such order except within seven days of the entry of such order.

(c) No appeal taken under subsection (a) of this section shall be withdrawn and no settlement between the parties to any such appeal shall be effective unless and until a hearing has been held before the Superior Court and such court has approved such proposed withdrawal or settlement.

(P.A. 89-305, S. 10, 32; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)

*Note: Section 14 of public act 89-305 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms.

History: 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.