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DEEP outlines "release-based" cleanup rollout, new online tracking system for contaminated sites
Summary
DEEP officials told the committee they are transitioning Connecticut from a Transfer Act approach to a risk- and release-based cleanup model, building a new online reporting/tracking system with Deloitte and promising stakeholder engagement during rollout; officials said the change aims to reduce duplicative reviews and speed durable closures.
HARTFORD — The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection described plans to replace the states Transfer Act historic-cleanup focus with a "release-based" and risk-based regulatory system, and said it is building a new online reporting and tracking platform contractors are developing with the states IT team.
Graham Stevens, chief of water protection and land reuse at DEEP, told the subcommittee the new rules are intended to reduce duplication between legacy Transfer Act investigations and day-to-day release responses and to create a "one-touch" approach so that when an emergent release is cleaned and closed it yields a durable outcome that does not require reopening during later property transfers.
Why it matters: DEEP said the release-based model will make cleanups more transparent and predictable and expected the new online system to let municipalities, regulated parties and the public see status information for releases and historic sites. Lawmakers pressed DEEP on implementation staffing and on how ongoing Transfer Act sites will be handled.
Key details
- Software and timing: DEEP said it contracted Deloitte and is building the online reporting and tracking system with the state IT team; DEEP expects the platform to be live this calendar year and said regulations would be effective after rulemaking, with a tentative March 2026 target for the regulatory effective date.
- Scope and exclusions: Some programs remain carved out (for instance, some site-wide brownfield projects and federally regulated underground storage tanks); DEEP said the new approach focuses on risk level rather than simply whether a release was reported.
- Implementation: DEEP said cleanup work will continue to emphasize higher-risk sites, streamline approvals, and reduce burdens on regulated entities while preserving public transparency and environmental protections.
Lawmakersquestions
Senators and representatives asked whether the departmental staff who have been working on Transfer Act matters will handle the new program and whether additional positions would be needed for implementation; DEEP said the current team would play a dual role and that resource needs as the program rolls out would be assessed and reported to the committee.
DEEP also said it will engage stakeholders and the regulated community during the roll-out and expected to tune resourcing after observing early operations.
Ending: DEEP committed to provide the committee with a list of Transfer Act properties and to brief legislators on staffing and how the new platform will be used in practice.
