2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 22a - Environmental Protection
Chapter 440 - Wetlands and Watercourses
Section 22a-29 - (Formerly Sec. 22-7i). Definitions.
The following words and phrases, as used in sections 22a-28 to 22a-35, inclusive, shall have the following meanings:
(1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection;
(2) “Wetland” means those areas which border on or lie beneath tidal waters, such as, but not limited to banks, bogs, salt marsh, swamps, meadows, flats, or other low lands subject to tidal action, including those areas now or formerly connected to tidal waters, and whose surface is at or below an elevation of one foot above local extreme high water; and upon which may grow or be capable of growing some, but not necessarily all, of the following: Salt meadow grass (Spartina patens), spike grass (Distichlis spicata), black grass (Juncus gerardi), saltmarsh grass (Spartina alterniflora), saltworts (Salicornia Europaea, and Salicornia bigelovii), sea lavender (Limonium carolinianum), saltmarsh bulrushes (Scirpus robustus and Scirpus paludosus var. atlanticus), sand spurrey (Spergularia marina), switch grass (Panicum virgatum), tall cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), high-tide bush (Iva frutescens var. oraria), cattails (Typha angustifolia, and Typha latifolia), spike rush (Eleocharis rostellata), chairmaker's rush (Scirpus americana), bent grass (Agrostis palustris), and sweet grass (Hierochloe odorata), royal fern (Osmunda regalis), interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana), cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), marsh fern (Dryopteris thelypteris), bur-reed family (Sparganium eurycarpum, Sparganium androcladum, Sparganium americanum, Sparganium chlorocarpum, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium fluctuans, Sparganium minimum), horned pondweed (Zannichellia palustris), water-plantain (Alisma triviale), arrowhead (Sagittaria subulata, Sagittaria graminea, Sagittaria eatoni, Sagittaria engelmanniania), wild rice (Zizania aquatica), tuckahoe (Peltandra virginica), water-arum (Calla palustris), skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), sweet flag (Acorus calamus), pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), water stargrass (Heteranthera dubia), soft rush (Juncus effusus), false hellebore (Veratrum viride), slender blue flag (Iris prismatica pursh), blue flag (Iris versicolor), yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus), lizard's tail (Saururus cernuus), speckled alder (Alnus rugosa), common alder (Alnus serrulata), arrow-leaved tearthumb (Polygonum sagittatum), halberd-leaved tearthumb (Polygonum arifolium), spatter-dock (Nuphar variegatum nuphar advena), marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), swamp rose (Rosa palustris), poison ivy (Rhus radicans), poison sumac (Rhus vernix), red maple (Acer rubrum), jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), marshmallow (Hibiscus palustris), loosestrife (Lythrum alatum, lythrum salicaria), red osier (Cornus stolonifera), red willow (Cornus amomum), silky dogwood (Cornus obliqua), sweet pepper-bush (Clethra alnifolia), swamp honeysuckle (Rhododendron viscosum), high-bush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), sea lavender (Limonium nashii), climbing hemp-weed (Mikania scandens), joe pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum), joe pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum), thoroughwort (Eupatorium perfoliatum);
(3) “Regulated activity” means any of the following: Draining, dredging, excavation, or removal of soil, mud, sand, gravel, aggregate of any kind or rubbish from any wetland or the dumping, filling or depositing thereon of any soil, stones, sand, gravel, mud, aggregate of any kind, rubbish or similar material, either directly or otherwise, and the erection of structures, driving of pilings, or placing of obstructions, whether or not changing the tidal ebb and flow. Notwithstanding the foregoing, “regulated activity” shall not include activities conducted by, or under the authority of, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for the purposes of mosquito control, conservation activities of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the construction or maintenance of aids to navigation which are authorized by governmental authority and the emergency decrees of any duly appointed health officer of a municipality acting to protect the public health;
(4) “Person” means any corporation, limited liability company, association or partnership, one or more individuals, and any unit of government or agency thereof.
(1969, P.A. 695, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 400; 1972, P.A. 132, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 87-589, S. 7, 87; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-79, S. 91, 189; 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 97-289, S. 4, 9; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)
History: 1971 act defined “commissioner” as commissioner of environmental protection rather than as commissioner of agriculture and natural resources and substituted department of environmental protection for department of agriculture and natural resources “and its related agencies and boards”; 1972 act expanded list of plants common to wetlands in Subdiv. (2); Sec. 22-7i transferred to Sec. 22a-29 in 1972 and references to other transferred sections were revised; P.A. 77-614 replaced state health department with department of health services, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 87-589 made technical change in Subdiv. (2); P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-79 redefined “person” to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995; 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; P.A. 97-289 amended Subdiv. (3) to exclude mosquito control activities of the Commissioner of Environmental Protection from the definition of “regulated activity”, deleting reference to Mosquito Control Division of Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1997; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” and “Department of Environmental Protection” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” and “Department of Energy and Environmental Protection”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011.
Cited. 183 C. 532; 209 C. 544.
Cited. 32 CS 104; 43 CS 386.
