HARTFORD, CT — Connecticut has officially replaced its decades-old Transfer Act with newly adopted Release-Based Cleanup Regulations, a sweeping environmental reform hailed as a catalyst for both economic development and environmental restoration.
On Tuesday, the Legislative Regulation Review Committee voted to approve the rules, concluding a four-year overhaul process led by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).
Governor Ned Lamont called the shift “a gamechanger for Connecticut.”
“This new system truly is a win-win, resulting in faster environmental clean-ups and unlocking countless blighted properties that will go from being community hazards to being community assets,” Lamont said following the vote.
The new regulations replace the Transfer Act, a policy in place since the 1980s that required a specific type of ownership transfer before triggering site remediation.
Nearly 5,000 properties entered that program, but less than half were ever cleaned up.
Under the release-based model, property owners can initiate cleanup when pollution is identified, aligning Connecticut with 48 other states already using this method.
“Replacing the Transfer Act with a release-based framework is one of the most significant improvements to Connecticut environmental regulation in many years,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “This milestone is the result of thousands of hours of work by DEEP and DECD staff, environmental professionals, industry stakeholders, and legislators.”
DECD economists project that the change will generate 2,100 new construction jobs, $3.78 billion in GDP growth, and $115 million in new state revenue over five years.
“The move to release-based regulations is a long overdue reform that provides the predictability that businesses need,” said DECD Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe. “It will create thousands of construction jobs, generate millions in new tax revenue, and accelerate our efforts to build vibrancy in our cities and towns.”
The rules are set to take effect in spring 2026. In the interim, DEEP and DECD plan to work with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.
Legislators praised the bipartisan and collaborative effort. “Today’s adoption… will exponentially drive economic development, as well as improve environmental outcomes in Connecticut,” said State Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury). “This would not have been possible but for the thousands of hours of hard work by the members of the Transfer Act working group.”
Representative John-Michael Parker (D-Durham, Madison), co-chair of the Environment Committee, added, “With the adoption of these regulations, we will expedite business transactions and help our environment – a win-win for Connecticut’s climate and economic development.”
The Release-Based Cleanup Regulations mark the completion of the first goal in DEEP’s new 20By26 initiative, which outlines 20 objectives to improve regulatory transparency and efficiency by the end of 2026.
Other goals are linked to House Bill 6868, an environmental permitting reform package that passed committee last month and is pending in the House of Representatives.
