Joan Hartley

Senator Hartley Leads Passage of Legislation Easing Anti-Business Provisions of the Transfer Act and Spurring Real Estate Development

HARTFORD, CT – State Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury) led the Senate’s passage of legislation, passed this week by the House, that changes audit periods for establishments that previously were involved in the transfer of hazardous waste. Among its changes is the removal of several businesses from requirements for time-consuming audits. The bill is intended to spur and expand real estate development opportunities in Connecticut.

“With passage in the House of Senate Bill 1030, Connecticut is repositioned to redevelop and renovate numerous properties which previously would be unmarketable,” said Sen. Hartley. “While this is just the first step to modernizing the Transfer Act, many Connecticut real estate markets, many of which are in urban areas, will now be unencumbered, resulting in a significant growth in the real estate market and the overall economy. I am particularly pleased that after an intense process working with the Commissioners of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Economic and Community Development, as well as related private sector representatives, there is a commitment to continue to work on reasonable changes which continue our good environmental stewardship and simultaneously spur economic development in our commercial and industrial properties.”

“This is a pro-business and pro-environment bill that will stimulate economic growth and help clean up more properties,” said Representative Caroline Simmons (D-Stamford), co-chair of the Commerce Committee. “I want to thank Senator Hartley for her leadership on this critical piece of legislation to our state’s economy.”

Senate Bill No. 1030, “An Act Concerning the Audit Period for the Transfer of Hazardous Waste Establishments,” excludes certain properties and businesses from the Transfer Act by narrowing types of hazardous waste considered under that legislation.

Further, the bill shortens the audit window for Transfer Act final verifications from three years to one year beginning October 1, 2019, requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to complete such audits within three years, and requires the Commerce and Environment committee chairs to convene a working group to examine and possibly recommend changes to the Transfer Act by February 2020.