Sec. 22a-260d. South Meadows development district. Established. Description.
Sec. 22a-284c. MIRA Dissolution Authority. Liabilities. Effect of conveyances.
Sec. 22a-260b. Capital Region Development Authority as successor to Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority for South Meadows site. Definition. Transfer. Generated state revenue. Memoranda of understanding. Tax of property. (a) The Capital Region Development Authority shall constitute a successor authority to the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority in accordance with the provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, and (f) of section 4-38d and section 4-38e with respect to the ownership, functions, powers and duties of the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority pertaining to the South Meadows site. As used in this section, “South Meadows site” means the properties located at 300 Maxim Road in Hartford and 100 Reserve Road in Hartford.
(b) On June 30, 2025, after the close of business for the Capital Region Development Authority, the South Meadows site and any tangible or intangible personal property associated therewith shall be transferred from the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Capital Region Development Authority and the balance of the resources of the MIRA Dissolution Authority relating to the South Meadows site, after the transfer under section 436 of public act 25-168* has been made, shall be transferred to the Capital Region Development Authority. The transferred funds shall be deposited in a separate bank account or accounts from all other funds of the Capital Region Development Authority and shall be used in such amounts and at such times as determined by the Capital Region Development Authority for the purposes of maintaining, remediating, developing, redeveloping or taking any other action associated with the South Meadows site that is deemed necessary by the Capital Region Development Authority. The Capital Region Development Authority may hire managers previously employed by the MIRA Dissolution Authority with expertise in engineering, construction, power assets, and environmental compliance to carry out any activity the Capital Region Development Authority is authorized or required to undertake with respect to the South Meadows site.
(c) Any state tax revenue generated within the South Meadows site by any completed project under section 22a-260c shall be retained by the Capital Region Development Authority to be reinvested in said site.
(d) The Capital Region Development Authority may enter into one or more memoranda of understanding with any state agency to facilitate said authority's functions, powers and duties with respect to the South Meadows site.
(e) (1) Commencing June 30, 2025, the South Meadows site and any personal property located thereon shall not be subject to the tax imposed by chapter 203 until the commencement of a development or redevelopment project under section 22a-260c.
(2) The property transferred under this section shall be included in the MIRA Dissolution Authority's financial reports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and shall not be included in the Capital Region Development Authority's financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. For the purposes of such financial reports, the property shall be treated as having been transferred to the Capital Region Development Authority on July 1, 2025, with current carrying values.
(f) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the South Meadows site shall be included as a basis for any payment in lieu of taxes made by the state to the city of Hartford for any such payment made on or after June 30, 2025, until such site is redeveloped.
(P.A. 25-168, S. 435; 25-174, S. 228, 231, 232.)
*Note: Section 436 of public act 25-168 is special in nature and therefore has not been codified but remains in full force and effect according to its terms.
History: P.A. 25-168 effective June 30, 2025; P.A. 25-174 amended Subsec. (b) to add “after the close of business for the Capital Region Development Authority,”, “relating to the South Meadows site”, replace “individual” with “manager”, add “with expertise in engineering, construction, power assets, and environmental compliance” and make a technical change, amended Subsec. (e) to add Subdiv. (1) designator and add Subdiv. (2) re property transferred under section be included in MIRA Dissolution Authority's financial reports and not be included in Capital Region Development Authority's financial reports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and make a technical change, and added Subsec. (f) re inclusion of the South Meadows site in payments in lieu of taxes made by the state to the city of Hartford, effective June 30, 2025.
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Sec. 22a-260c. South Meadows site projects. Definitions. Procedures. Requirements. Hearings. Commissioner decisions. Appeals. Master administrative process. Municipal corporation cooperation. Indemnification. Authority or employee enforcement actions. (a) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Commissioner” means the commissioner that has jurisdiction over the specific subject matter and such commissioner's designee or, if more than one commissioner has jurisdiction, each commissioner that has jurisdiction over the specific subject matter and their designees;
(2) “Project” means the development, redevelopment, remediation or any other work performed by the Capital Region Development Authority at the South Meadows site; and
(3) “South Meadows site” has the same meaning as provided in section 22a-260b.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision other than section 22a-284c, any license, permit or approval required or permitted to be issued and any administrative action required or permitted to be taken, in connection with any work concerning a project under this section that is supervised by a state agency, as defined in section 1-79, shall be in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section, to the extent not inconsistent with the state's delegated authority under federal law. Any agreement or memorandum of understanding entered into by the Capital Region Development Authority with a state agency or a political subdivision of the state for work to be performed for any part of a project under this section, including, but not limited to, licensing, permitting, receiving governmental approvals and the construction of sewer, water, steam or other utility connections, shall be in accordance with the provisions of this section, to the extent not inconsistent with the state's delegated authority under federal law or with any contract by which such agency or political subdivision is bound.
(c) For a project under this section:
(1) Each license, permit or approval required or permitted to be issued and each administrative action required or permitted to be taken pursuant to the general statutes shall be issued or taken upon application to the commissioner. Such commissioner or commissioners, as applicable, shall have sole jurisdiction over any licenses, permits, approvals or administrative action concerning such project.
(2) No notice of any tentative or final determination regarding any such license, permit, approval or administrative action shall be required except as expressly provided under this section. No ordinance or regulation adopted by, nor authority granted to, a municipality or other political subdivision of the state shall apply to a project under this section. No municipality shall impose, as a condition of the availability of state or federal funds under a program administered by such municipality, any requirement that such municipality would not have the authority to impose directly under the provisions of this section, except as otherwise required by federal law.
(3) All applications, supporting documentation and other records submitted to the commissioner that pertain to any license, permit, approval or administrative action, together with all records of proceedings related to such license, permit, approval or administrative action, shall be made available for public inspection in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1-200.
(d) (1) Each commissioner having jurisdiction over any license, permit, approval or administrative action for a project under this section shall adopt a master process to consider multiple licenses, permits, approvals and administrative actions for any such project, to the extent practicable. Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, licenses, permits, approvals and administrative actions under this section shall be issued or taken not later than ten business days after the date of submission of any application to the commissioner for such license, permit, approval or administrative action. If such license, permit, approval or administrative action has not been issued or taken by the close of business on such tenth business day, such application shall be deemed approved unless such application has been denied or conditionally issued or a hearing held on such application prior to the close of business on such tenth business day. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to require that applications for licenses, permits, approvals or administrative action connected with all aspects of a project under this section be submitted or acted upon at the same time if not otherwise required by law.
(2) Any requirement for a permit or an inspection by the State Building Inspector or the State Fire Marshal shall be satisfied if the Capital Region Development Authority obtains a certification from an engineer or other appropriate professional duly certified or licensed in the state that such work, to the extent such work is subject to approval by the State Building Inspector or the State Fire Marshal, complies with state building codes or fire laws and regulations, as applicable.
(e) Any hearing regarding all or any part of a project under this section shall be conducted by the particular commissioner having jurisdiction over the applicable license, permit, approval or administrative action. The commissioner shall publish notice of such hearing, not more than ten days and not less than five days in advance of such hearing, in a newspaper having a general circulation in the city of Hartford.
(f) The commissioner shall, in rendering any decision in connection with a project under this section, weigh all competent material and substantial evidence presented by the applicant and the public in accordance with procedures specified by the commissioner. The commissioner shall issue written findings and determinations on which the decision is based. Such findings and determinations shall consist of the evidence presented, including such matters the commissioner deems appropriate and that are related to the nature of any major adverse health effect or environmental impact of the project, to the extent applicable to a particular license, permit, approval or administrative action. The commissioner may reverse or modify an order or action of the commissioner at any time, in the same manner as the original proceeding.
(g) (1) Any party aggrieved by any administrative action taken by a commissioner in connection with a project under this section may appeal to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183. Such appeal shall be brought not later than ten days after the date of mailing to the parties to the proceeding of a notice of such action by certified mail, return receipt requested, and the appellant shall serve a copy of the appeal on each party listed in the final decision at the address shown in such decision. Failure to make such service within the period specified on parties other than the commissioner who rendered the final decision shall not deprive the court of jurisdiction over the appeal.
(2) Not later than ten days after the service of such appeal, or within such further time as may be allowed by the court, the commissioner who rendered such decision shall transcribe any portion of the record that had not been transcribed and shall transmit the original or a certified copy of the entire record of the proceeding appealed from to the court. Such record shall include the commissioner's findings of fact and conclusions of law, separately stated. If more than one commissioner has jurisdiction over the matter, such commissioners shall issue joint findings of fact and conclusions of law. Such appeal shall state the reasons upon which it is predicated and, notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, shall not stay the development of the project.
(3) The commissioner who rendered the final decision shall appear as the respondent. Appeals to the Superior Court shall each be a privileged matter and shall be heard as soon after the return date as practicable. A court shall render its decision not later than twenty-one days after the date the entire record, with the transcript, is filed with the court by the commissioner who rendered the decision.
(4) The court shall not substitute its judgment for that of the commissioner as to the weight of the evidence presented on a question of fact. The court shall affirm the decision of the commissioner unless the court finds that substantial rights of the party appealing the decision have been materially prejudiced because the findings, inferences, conclusions or decisions of the commissioner are (A) in violation of constitutional or statutory provisions, (B) in excess of the statutory authority of the commissioner, (C) made upon unlawful procedure, (D) affected by an error of law, (E) clearly erroneous in view of the reliable, probative and substantial evidence on the whole record, or (F) arbitrary, capricious or characterized by abuse of discretion or clearly unwarranted exercise of discretion.
(5) If the court finds material prejudice, it may sustain the appeal and, upon sustaining an appeal, may render a judgment that modifies the decision of the commissioner, orders particular action of the commissioner or orders the commissioner to take such action as may be necessary to effect a particular action and the commissioner may issue a license, permit or approval or take an administrative action consistent with such judgment. An applicant may file an amended application and the commissioner may consider an amended application for a license, a permit, an approval or an administrative action following court action.
(h) (1) The Capital Region Development authority shall be considered the state agency responsible for preparing any required written evaluation of the impact of a project under this section on the environment in accordance with the requirements set forth in section 22a-1b and regulations adopted thereunder. Said authority shall hold a public hearing on the evaluation and shall publish notice of such hearing, not more than ten days and not less than five days in advance of such hearing, and of the availability of such evaluation, in a newspaper having a general circulation in the city of Hartford. Any person may comment at the public hearing or in writing not later than the second day following the close of the public hearing. All public comments received by said authority shall be promptly forwarded to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and shall be made available for public inspection. Nothing in subsection (b) of section 22a-1b shall be deemed to require that such written evaluations be completed prior to (A) the awarding of contracts, (B) the incurrence of obligations or the expenditure of funds in connection with planning and engineering studies for site preparation, or (C) preliminary site preparation work not requiring licenses, permits or approvals not yet obtained.
(2) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall review the evaluation and the public comments submitted and shall make a written determination as to whether such evaluation satisfies the requirements of sections 22a-1a to 22a-1c, inclusive. Such determination shall be made public and forwarded to the Capital Region Development Authority not later than ten days after the date said authority forwarded the public comments pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. The secretary may require the revision of the evaluation if, after taking into account all public and state agency comments, the secretary finds that the evaluation does not satisfy the requirement of said sections.
(i) (1) In exercising jurisdiction over any licenses, permits or approvals required in connection with a project under this section, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall take into consideration all public comments submitted by the Capital Region Development Authority pursuant to subsection (h) of this section if and to the extent such public comments are available at such time. Said commissioner shall make written findings with respect to any such comments that are relevant to the issuance or denial of any such license, permit or approval. For any applications submitted under this section that require a public hearing, said commissioner shall adopt a master administrative process that shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 54 and shall provide for a single public hearing at which public comments on all pending applications shall be heard. Any such public hearing shall be limited to the consideration of issues or factors not included in the related environmental evaluation. The provisions of subsection (d) of this section regarding deadlines for licenses, permits, approvals or administrative action shall not apply to licenses, permits, approvals or administrative actions issued or taken by said commissioner.
(2) Said commissioner and said authority shall enter into a memorandum of understanding regarding a master administrative process for a project under this section. Such memorandum of understanding shall (A) identify the proposed use after the development, redevelopment or remediation associated with such project and the license, permit, approval or administrative action necessary for such project, with the goal of expediting the process of issuing each such license, permit or approval or taking each such administrative action as soon as is reasonably practicable, and (B) provide (i) timelines for said commissioner to issue a notice of sufficiency concerning the completeness of any application, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection review, the holding of a public hearing and receiving of public comments and the issuance of a decision by said commissioner, or (ii) for applications for which a public hearing is not required, timelines for said commissioner to issue a decision or take administrative action.
(j) All municipal corporations, including the Metropolitan District of Hartford County, that exercise jurisdiction over the planning, environmental testing and assessment, permitting, engineering, site preparation and private and public infrastructure improvements related to a project under this section, shall cooperate with the Capital Region Development Authority in carrying out the provisions of this section, including expedited consideration for licenses, permits, approvals and administrative action.
(k) (1) The state shall hold harmless and indemnify the Capital Region Development Authority and any employee and any director of said authority from any liability, financial loss and expense, including legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of any claim, demand, order, penalty, lien, assessment, suit or judgment by reason of any title defects relating to, or any pollution, contamination, hazardous waste, hazardous substance or hazardous building material, including, but not limited to, asbestos, asbestos-containing materials, lead or lead-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), mold, fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, mercury, PCB ballasts, lead-acid battery electrolytes, fluorocarbons, equipment coolant, hydraulic fluids, radioactive materials, explosives, military ordinance, gasoline and petroleum products or any other environmental condition existing at, originating or emanating from or relating to, the real property, facilities and other improvements at the South Meadows site, to the extent such title defect or environmental issues were in existence on June 30, 2025. The state shall not hold harmless nor indemnify said authority for any title defects or environmental issues, arising after the date of any lease, assignment, transfer, sale or other disposition concerning the South Meadows site, that are not related to or attributable to any preexisting title defects or environmental issues. Said authority shall use funds transferred pursuant to subsection (b) of section 22a-260b prior to seeking indemnification under this subsection.
(2) Said authority or any such employee or director may bring an action in the Superior Court against the state to enforce the provisions of this section.
(3) For purposes of this subsection, “pollution”, “contamination”, “hazardous waste”, “hazardous substance” and “environmental condition” have the same meanings as in applicable federal, state or local laws pertaining to public health or the environment and including, without limitation, this title and any regulations or guidance promulgated by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1987, as each may be amended from time to time, and “hazardous building material” has the same meaning commonly ascribed to it in the environmental remediation context and in any regulations or guidance promulgated by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection or the Department of Administrative Services.
(P.A. 25-168, S. 438.)
History: P.A. 25-168 effective June 30, 2025.
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Sec. 22a-260d. South Meadows development district. Established. Description. There is hereby established a South Meadows development district as follows: The area bounded and described as follows: The intersection of the Hartford-Wethersfield town line and Wethersfield Avenue, proceeding northerly along Wethersfield Avenue to Wawarme Avenue, proceeding easterly along Wawarme Avenue to Curcombe Street, proceeding on Curcombe Street to Hendricxson Avenue then northwest on Hendricxson Avenue to Masseek Street, proceeding northeasterly along Masseek Street to Van Block Avenue, proceeding along Van Block Avenue to Sequassen Street, proceeding on Sequassen Street to the Connecticut River then proceeding south along the Connecticut River to the Hartford-Wethersfield town line and proceeding westerly along the Hartford-Wethersfield town line to the intersection with Wethersfield Avenue.
(P.A. 25-168, S. 442.)
History: P.A. 25-168 effective June 30, 2025.
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Sec. 22-260e. South Meadows development district and Hartford Brainard Airport. Federal law and regulation. Effect. No power or action of the South Meadows development district, as established in section 22a-260d, shall be deemed to supersede or to authorize any conflict with federal law or with any federal aviation regulation concerning control of Hartford Brainard Airport.
(P.A. 25-174, S. 230.)
History: P.A. 25-174 effective June 30, 2025.
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Sec. 22a-284c. MIRA Dissolution Authority. Liabilities. Effect of conveyances. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the provisions of sections 22a-260b, 22a-261, 22a-262, 22a-284a to 22a-284e, inclusive, section 12 of public act 23-170* and section 436 of public act 25-168* shall not be construed to modify the liability of any person who: (1) Established a resources recovery facility, (2) created a condition or who is maintaining any such facility or condition that may reasonably be expected to create a source of pollution to the waters of the state, or (3) is the certifying party to the transfer of such a facility.
(b) Notwithstanding the requirements of sections 22a-134a to 22a-134e, inclusive, 22a-134h and 22a-134i, any conveyance of real property or business operations authorized or required by the provisions of sections 22a-260b, 22a-261, 22a-262, 22a-284a to 22a-284e, inclusive, section 12 of public act 23-170* and section 436 of public act 25-168* from the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority to the MIRA Dissolution Authority, from the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Department of Administrative Services or from the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Capital Region Development Authority, shall not constitute the transfer of an establishment for purposes of chapter 445.
(c) Notwithstanding the requirements of section 22a-6o:
(1) Upon transfer of ownership or oversight of a permitted facility owned or operated by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority to the MIRA Dissolution Authority any permits or licenses held by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority shall be deemed to be transferred to the MIRA Dissolution Authority and shall continue in full force and effect;
(2) Upon transfer of ownership or oversight of a permitted facility owned or operated by the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Department of Administrative Services, any permits or licenses held by the MIRA Dissolution Authority shall be deemed to be transferred to the Department of Administrative Services and shall continue in full force and effect; and
(3) Upon transfer of ownership or oversight of a permitted facility owned or operated by the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Capital Region Development Authority, any permits or licenses held by the MIRA Dissolution Authority shall be deemed to be transferred to the Capital Region Development Authority and shall continue in full force and effect.
(P.A. 23-170, S. 10; P.A. 25-168, S. 439.)
*Note: Section 12 of public act 23-170 and section 436 of public act 25-168 are special in nature and therefore have not been codified but remain in full force and effect according to their terms.
History: P.A. 23-170 effective June 29, 2023 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (c)(1), references to “Connecticut Waste Authority” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “MIRA Dissolution Authority” for accuracy.); P.A. 25-168 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to add references to Sec. 22a-260b and P.A. 25-168, S. 436, further amended Subsec. (b) to add reference to Capital Region Development Authority, Subsec. (c) to make technical changes and add Subdiv. (3) re transfer of licenses or permits to Capital Region Development Authority, effective June 30, 2025 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (c)(3), the words “of licenses” which appeared in the engrossed bill was changed editorially by the Revisors to “or licenses” for clarity).
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Sec. 22a-284e. Department of Administrative Services as successor to MIRA Dissolution Authority. Exception. Capital Region Development Authority ownership, powers and duties. The Department of Administrative Services shall constitute a successor agency to the MIRA Dissolution Authority in accordance with the provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, and (f) of section 4-38d and section 4-38e, except with respect to the ownership, functions, powers and duties of the MIRA Dissolution Authority that are assigned or transferred to the Capital Region Development Authority pursuant to section 22a-260b.
(P.A. 23-170, S. 15; P.A. 25-168, S. 440.)
History: P.A. 23-170 effective July 1, 2025; P.A. 25-168 added exception for ownership, powers and duties transferred to the Capital Region Development Authority, effective June 30, 2025.
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