(a) The commissioner shall establish a river committee to plan for designation and protection and preservation of eligible river corridors and to perform such other functions as are specified in sections 25-200 to 25-210, inclusive, if (1) one or more municipalities within any such corridor request such action, or (2) the legislative body of any such municipality provides for a referendum at a regular election held in such municipality on the question of whether such municipality shall request the commissioner to establish a river committee and a majority of the electors in such municipality approve such action. A request under this subsection shall be accompanied by a list of persons who may appropriately serve on such committee. Such persons shall include (A) an official representative of each requesting municipality, (B) all persons or representatives thereof who have such a legal or management interest in or responsibility for the river corridor that the river committee could not properly function without their participation, and (C) persons having substantial relevant expertise in the areas of engineering or land or water use management. The commissioner shall appoint the members of the river committee from among the persons included on such list and from among such other persons as he deems necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of sections 25-200 to 25-210, inclusive, including at least one representative each of the Departments of Energy and Environmental Protection and Public Health. Vacancies on the river committee shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments.

(b) At the request of a municipality, the commissioner may add such municipality to a river committee. A request under this section shall be accompanied by a list of prospective committee members as specified in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Prior to transacting any official business, a river committee shall establish written procedures for conducting business. Such procedures shall be open to public inspection.

(P.A. 94-150, S. 4; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 11-80, S. 82.)

History: (Revisor's note: In 2003 a reference in Subsec. (a) to “Departments of Environmental Protection and Health and Addiction Services” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Departments of Environmental Protection and Public Health” to conform with change in department's name enacted by P.A. 95-257); P.A. 11-80 amended Subsec. (a) by changing “Department of Environmental Protection” to “Department of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011.