Sec. 22a-337. (Formerly Sec. 25-3). Commissioner's powers.
Sec. 22a-337. (Formerly Sec. 25-3). Commissioner's powers. (a) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Public
Health, is authorized, as the representative of the state of Connecticut, to negotiate,
cooperate and enter into agreements or compacts with authorized agencies representing
any one or more states or commonwealths, or the United States, or any combination
thereof, relative to flood control, river and harbor improvements or obstructions, navigation, pollution of interstate waters, diversion of interstate waters, and the use of such
interstate waters by any agency of the United States, or any one or more states or commonwealths, which will tend to increase the hazard of damage to persons or property
located or situated in this state by reason of flood waters or which will in any way
interfere adversely with the navigability of any stream or river located wholly or partially
within this state during periods of low flow in the main stream or any of its tributaries.
With respect to matters relating to river and harbor improvements and the navigability
of streams or rivers, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall request and
consider recommendations of the Commissioner of Transportation.
(b) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection is designated as the shore erosion agency of the state for the purpose of cooperating with the Beach Erosion Board
of the Department of Defense, as provided for in Section 2 of the "River and Harbor
Act" adopted by Congress and approved July 3, 1930, and known as H. R. Number
11781 of the second session of the 71st Congress. Said commissioner shall carry out
investigations and studies of conditions along the shore line, harbors, rivers and islands
within the territorial waters of the state in order to promote and encourage the healthful
recreation of its citizens and with a view to devising and projecting economical and
effective methods and works for preventing and correcting shore erosion and damage
to public and private property therefrom and to prevent inundation of improved property
by storms, erosion and ravages of the sea.
(1949 Rev., S. 3567; 1955, S. 1957d; November, 1955, S. N191; 1957, P.A. 364, S. 9; March, 1958, P.A. 20, S. 1;
1961, P.A. 273, S. 2; 1963, P.A. 435, S. 8; 1969, P.A. 768, S. 254; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 40; P.A. 85-142, S. 1; P.A. 93-381,
S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: 1961 act amended Subsec. (c) to authorize designated subcommittee to hold hearing; 1963 act repealed Subsec.
(c) which had concerned the designation of areas of waterways as free from obstruction or encroachment by public or
private persons, firms or corporations; 1969 act added provision in Subsec. (a) re recommendations of commissioner of
transportation in matters concerning river and harbor improvements, etc.; 1971 act replaced references to water resources
commission with references to environmental protection commissioner in Subsec. (a); Sec. 25-3 transferred to Sec. 22a-337 in 1983; P.A. 85-142 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring that the commissioner of health services be consulted; P.A.
93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July
1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner
and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.
See Secs. 22a-342 to 22a-348 re stream channel encroachment line.
Annotations to former section 25-3:
Cited. 148 C. 591.
General jurisdiction of commission discussed. 21 CS 407.
Annotation to present section:
Cited. 215 C. 616.