1:53 → 2:07(14s)
The Riparian Buffers Working Group met to consider adding statutory protection for vegetated riparian buffers. Speakers reviewed Connecticut case law, compared placing buffer protections in the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act versus zoning, and summarized scientific evidence for buffer functions (sediment trapping, nutrient filtration, thermal shading, hydrologic benefits). Stakeholders raised concerns about exemptions for agriculture, public access, existing regulation overlap, and implementation details such as buffer width. The group agreed to invite CLEAR and DEEP legal staff to a future meeting and indicated a working consensus to begin statutory drafting under the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act.
