Sec. 22a-133x. Investigation and remediation of contaminated real property. Submission of forms. Review by commissioner. Fee. Notification required.

      Sec. 22a-133x. Investigation and remediation of contaminated real property. Submission of forms. Review by commissioner. Fee. Notification required. (a) Except as provided in section 22a-133y, a political subdivision of the state, an owner of an establishment, as defined in section 22a-134, an owner of property identified on the inventory of hazardous waste disposal sites maintained pursuant to section 22a-133c on October 1, 1995, or an owner of contaminated property located in an area for which the groundwater classification is GA or GAA, may, at any time, submit to the commissioner an environmental condition assessment form for such real property owned by such political subdivision or such owner and an initial review fee in accordance with subsection (e) of this section. The owner or political subdivision shall use a licensed environmental professional to verify the investigation and remediation, unless not later than thirty days after the commissioner's receipt of such form, the commissioner notifies the owner or political subdivision, in writing, that review and written approval of any remedial action at such establishment or property by the commissioner will be required. The commissioner shall not process any such form submitted pursuant to this section unless such form is accompanied by the required initial review fee.

      (b) The owner or political subdivision shall, on or before ninety days after the submission of an environmental condition assessment form, submit a statement of proposed actions for investigating and remediating the parcel or a release area, as defined in the regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 22a-133k, and a schedule for implementing such actions. The commissioner may require the owner or political subdivision to submit to the commissioner copies of technical plans and reports related to investigation and remediation of the parcel or release area. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the commissioner may determine that the commissioner's review and written approval of such technical plans and reports is necessary at any time, and in such case the commissioner shall notify the owner or political subdivision of the need for the commissioner's review and written approval. The commissioner shall require that the certifying party submit to the commissioner all technical plans and reports related to the investigation and remediation of the parcel or release area if the commissioner receives a written request from any person for such information. The owner or political subdivision shall advise the commissioner of any modifications to the proposed schedule. Upon receipt of a verification by a licensed environmental professional that the parcel or release area has been investigated in accordance with prevailing standards and guidelines and remediated in accordance with the remediation standards, the owner or political subdivision shall submit such verification to the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner.

      (c) If the commissioner notifies the owner or political subdivision that the commissioner will formally review and approve in writing the investigation and remediation of the parcel, the owner or political subdivision shall, on or before thirty days of the receipt of such notice, or such later date as may be approved in writing by the commissioner, submit for the commissioner's review and written approval, a proposed schedule for: (1) Investigating and remediating the parcel or release area; and (2) submitting to the commissioner technical plans, technical reports and progress reports related to such investigation and remediation. Upon the commissioner's approval of such schedule, the owner or political subdivision shall, in accordance with the approved schedule, submit technical plans, technical reports and progress reports to the commissioner for the commissioner's review and written approval. The owner or political subdivision shall perform all actions identified in the approved technical plans, technical reports and progress reports in accordance with the approved schedule. The commissioner may approve, in writing, any modification proposed in writing by the owner or political subdivision to such schedule or investigation and remediation and may notify the owner, in writing, if the commissioner determines that it is appropriate to discontinue formal review and approval of the investigation or remediation.

      (d) If, in accordance with the provisions of this section, the commissioner has approved in writing or, as applicable, a licensed environmental professional has verified, that the parcel or release area has been remediated in accordance with the remediation standards, such approval or verification may be used as the basis for submitting a Form II pursuant to sections 22a-134 to 22a-134e, inclusive, provided there has been no additional discharge, spillage, uncontrolled loss, seepage or filtration of hazardous waste at or on the parcel subsequent to the date of the commissioner's approval or verification by a licensed environmental professional.

      (e) The fee for submitting an environmental condition assessment form to the commissioner pursuant to this section shall be three thousand dollars and shall be paid at the time the environmental condition assessment form is submitted. Any fee paid pursuant to this section shall be deducted from any fee required by subsection (m) or (n) of section 22a-134e for the transfer of any parcel for which an environmental condition assessment form has been submitted within three years of such transfer.

      (f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or impair the voluntary site remediation process provided for in section 22a-133y.

      (g) Prior to commencement of remedial action taken under this section, the owner or political subdivision shall (1) publish notice of the remediation, in accordance with the schedule submitted pursuant to this section, in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the area affected by the establishment, (2) notify the director of health of the municipality where the parcel is located of the remediation, and (3) either (A) erect and maintain for at least thirty days in a legible condition a sign not less than six feet by four feet on the parcel, which sign shall be clearly visible from the public highway, and shall include the words "ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP IN PROGRESS AT THIS SITE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:" and include a telephone number for an office from which any interested person may obtain additional information about the remediation, or (B) mail notice of the remediation to each owner of record of property which abuts the parcel, at the last-known address of such owner on the last-completed grand list of the municipality where the parcel is located.

      (P.A. 95-183, S. 3; P.A. 96-113, S. 7, 17; P.A. 98-134, S. 4; 98-253, S. 13; P.A. 99-225, S. 4, 14, 20; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 118; P.A. 07-81, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 96-113 amended Subsec. (a) to add definition of "municipality", effective May 24, 1996; P.A. 98-134 and P.A. 98-253 both amended Subsec. (a) to allow owners of property in GA and GAA areas to submit an environmental condition assessment form under this section, and P.A. 98-134 also amended Subsec. (b) to include remediation of entire release areas in remediation plans under this section; P.A. 99-225 amended Subsec. (a) to allow remediation under this section of property owned by any political subdivision of the state and to delete definition of "municipality", amended Subsecs. (c) and (d) to provide for investigation and verification of remediation of specific release areas, effective June 29, 1999, and added a new Subsec. (g) regarding notice of remedial action undertaken pursuant to this section; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (e) to increase fee for submitting environmental condition assessment form from $2,000 to $3,000, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 07-81 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that a licensed environmental professional shall verify investigation and remediation unless department notifies the owner that department will do the verification, amended Subsec. (b) to delete provisions requiring commissioner to notify the owner re formal department review and to provide that commissioner may require department review at any time, amended Subsec. (g) to provide that only owners of property abutting the parcel need be notified at their last-known address and added references to "political subdivision" and made conforming and technical changes throughout.