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Issues & Action
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Issues & Action
Current Legislation
2011 Legislative Initiatives
Funding
DEP Budget
Clean Water Fund bonding
Community Investment Act funding
Promoting Wildlife and Habitat
Long Island Sound
Creating a LIS caucus in CGA to support federal appropriation and reauthorization, support state CWF state bonding, stormwater management and other legislation promoting the health of Long Island Sound.
Community Conservation or Green Fund
Enabling legislation to allow communities to raise funds to protect open space or invest in other environmentally beneficially projects that create or support Green Jobs
Endangered Species
Establish a check off process as part of the local land use application process that requires applicants for certain types of projects to certify that they have consulted the DEP's online Natural Diversity Database by submitting a copy of the appropriate map to the local commission. The process would be similar to the one now in place whereby applicants for local wetlands permits on public water supply watershed lands are required to certify to their local commission that they have notified the local water utility and DPH. Commissions have a check off on their application form and do not consider the application complete until input has been received from the water utility.
Inventory of Protected Lands
Requiring that a description of easements filed on local land use records be filed with DEP and/or CLEAR. The filing would take place via an online portal. Due to funding constraints, we will not be able to enter the data in a database, but at least we would have a record of it going forward.
Expanding PA 490
Amending the definition of farmland eligible for PA 490 to include land being managed according to a wildlife management plan developed by a state-certified forester.
Pesticides
Defend the current lawn care pesticide ban at daycare centers, nurseries and K-8 schools
Repeal law that preempts municipalities from adopting stricter limits on use of lawn care pesticides on private property.
PSB-244: An Act Authorizing municipalities to ban and regulate the use of lawn care pesticides.
Initiatives Audubon Strongly Supports:
Protecting state-owned farmland Southbury Training School
PHB-5201: An Act Concerning the grant of agricultural conservation easements on certain state-owned lands.
PHB-5204: An Act Concerning the implementation of certain recommendations by the farmland preservation board.
Streamflow Regulation and water allocation
PSB-228: An Act Concerning the adoption of streamflow regulations.
Riparian Buffers
Preserving the 10 Mil tax incentive for conserved forestland by allowing existing 10 mil properties to transition to PA 490 without penalty
Recreational Liability to address the MDC court decision
Smart Growth and Green Jobs
Issues Audubon is Monitoring:
DEP permitting, enforcement and rollbacks
PSB-60: An Act Concerning the enforcement and permitting duties of the department of environmental protection.
Falconry
ATVs - PHB 5063: An Act Concerning the registration of all-terrain vehicles.
Sunday hunting
PHB-5158 An Act authorizing bow and arrow hunting on sunday under certain circumstances.
Initiatives involving invasive plants or animal species
Legislation affecting light pollution
Legislative Contact: Sandy Breslin, Director of Governmental Affairs, (203) 264-5098 x302 or email.
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