2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 32 - Commerce and Economic and Community Development
Chapter 588gg - Brownfield Remediation and Development
Section 32-764 - (Formerly Sec. 32-9ee). Liability for pre-existing or existing conditions. Transfer of remediated brownfields.

(a) Any recipient of a grant pursuant to section 32-763 or subsection (c) of section 32-9cc of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2013, shall not be liable under section 22a-427, 22a-432, 22a-433, 22a-451 or 22a-452 for conditions pre-existing or existing on the brownfield property as of the date of acquisition or control, provided such recipient (1) did not establish, create, cause or contribute to the discharge, spillage, uncontrolled loss, seepage or filtration of such hazardous substance, material, waste or pollution that is subject to remediation under section 22a-133k and funded by the Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development or the Department of Economic and Community Development; (2) does not exacerbate the conditions; and (3) complies with reporting of significant environmental hazard requirements in section 22a-6u. To the extent that any conditions are exacerbated, such recipient shall only be responsible for responding to contamination exacerbated by its negligent or reckless activities.

(b) Upon remediation (1) as approved by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or (2) in accordance with section 22a-133x, 22a-134a, 32-768 or 32-769 of a brownfield property by a recipient of a grant pursuant to section 32-763, such recipient may transfer the property to any person, provided such person is not otherwise liable under section 22a-427, 22a-432, 22a-433, 22a-451 or 22a-452 with respect to the property. Any person who acquires title pursuant to this section shall not be liable under section 22a-427, 22a-432, 22a-433, 22a-451 or 22a-452 with respect to preexisting conditions on the property, provided such person (A) does not cause or contribute to the discharge, spillage, uncontrolled loss, seepage or filtration of such hazardous substance, material or waste, and (B) such person is not a member, officer, manager, director, shareholder, subsidiary, successor of, related to, or affiliated with, directly or indirectly, the person who is otherwise liable under section 22a-427, 22a-432, 22a-433, 22a-451 or 22a-452 with respect to the property. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall provide such person with a covenant not to sue pursuant to section 22a-133aa and shall not require the prospective purchaser or owner to pay a fee in exchange for such covenant.

(c) No person shall acquire title to or hold, possess or maintain any interest in a property that has been remediated with grant funds awarded pursuant to section 32-763 if such person (1) is liable under section 22a-427, 22a-432, 22a-433, 22a-451 or 22a-452 with respect to the property, (2) is otherwise responsible, directly or indirectly, for the discharge, spillage, uncontrolled loss, seepage or filtration of such hazardous substance, material or waste, (3) is a member, officer, manager, director, shareholder, subsidiary, successor of, related to, or affiliated with, directly or indirectly, the person who is otherwise liable under section 22a-427, 22a-432, 22a-433, 22a-451 or 22a-452 with respect to the property, or (4) is or was an owner, operator or tenant of the property. If such person elects to acquire title to or hold, possess or maintain any interest in the property, that person shall reimburse the state of Connecticut, the municipality and the economic development agency for any and all costs expended to perform the investigation and remediation of the property, plus interest at a rate of eighteen per cent.

(d) Notwithstanding section 22a-134a, a recipient of a grant pursuant to section 32-763 may acquire and convey its interest in the property without such recipient or the subsequent purchaser incurring liability, including any such liability incurred pursuant to section 22a-134a, provided the property (1) was remediated pursuant to section 22a-133x, 22a-133y, 32-768 or 32-769 or pursuant to an order issued by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and such remediation was (A) performed in accordance with the standards adopted pursuant to section 22a-133k, as determined by said commissioner, or (B) if authorized by said commissioner, verified by a licensed environmental professional unless such verification has been rejected by said commissioner subsequent to an audit conducted by said commissioner and provided the subsequent purchaser has no direct or related liability for the site conditions; and (2) is not an establishment, as defined in section 22a-134, based on business operations occurring after such recipient remediated the property.

(P.A. 06-184, S. 4, 5, 7; P.A. 07-233, S. 2; P.A. 09-235, S. 4; P.A. 11-141, S. 2; P.A. 13-308, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 06-184 effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 07-233 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that available funds are for “an eligible” brownfield remediation and that Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, rather than Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development, makes determination, added new Subdivs. (2) and (3) and redesignated existing Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (4), effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 09-235 amended Subsec. (a) to add entities established under Ch. 130 or 132, certain nonprofit economic corporations, nonstock corporations and limited liability companies controlled or established by a municipality, and municipal economic development agencies or entities established under Ch. 130 or 132 to list of entities to which Sec. applies, to include grants made by Department of Economic and Community Development, to provide that such entities are not liable for conditions as of date of acquisition or control, to require such entities to not have established cause for remediation to be considered an innocent party, and to require in case of exacerbated conditions that any such entity only be responsible for responding to contamination exacerbated by its own negligence or recklessness, effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 11-141 amended Subsecs. (a) and (c) to change “pilot program” to “municipal brownfield grant program”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-308 amended Subsec. (a) to replace provisions re specified entities with provisions re recipient of a grant and add reference to Sec. 22a-427, amended Subsec. (b) to replace former provisions with provisions re transfer of remediated brownfields, amended Subsec. (c) to add references to Sec. 22a-427, added Subsec. (d) re acquisition of remediated brownfields and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 2013; Sec. 32-9ee transferred to Sec. 32-764 in 2014.