You asked for (1) the current law on invasive plants, (2) a list of banned invasive plants, and (3) the state’s long-term goals regarding invasive plants.

SUMMARY

Invasive plants are plant species foreign to Connecticut that have the potential to quickly disperse over wide areas, displace native species, and reduce biological diversity.

The law now prohibits individuals from importing, cultivating, moving, selling, buying, possessing or distributing seven specific invasive plant species. Beginning October 1, 2004, the law bars people who possess these plants from transplanting them. The law extends the prohibitions to 54 more plants starting October 1, 2004, and to an additional 20 plants starting October 1, 2005, for a total of 81 plants. Violators can be fined up to $ 100 per plant.

From June 26, 2003 until May 5, 2004, the law barred municipalities from enacting ordinances regarding the retail sale or purchase of invasive plants. PA 04-203 reinstates the ban, beginning October 1, 2004 and ending October 1, 2005.

PA 03-136 also created an Invasive Plants Council, whose goals are to:

Because non-native invasive plants are so widespread, Les Mehrhoff, a member of the state’s Invasive Plants Council, and project coordinator for the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England, says it is neither possible nor practical to eliminate them. Mehrhoff said the state’s long-term goal is to control existing invasive plants as much as possible, perhaps excluding them from particularly sensitive areas, and to quickly identify newer invasive species in time either to remove them or prevent them from extending their range.

INVASIVE PLANTS LEGISLATION

The legislature has approved two measures concerning invasive species: AAC Invasive Plants (PA 03-136) and AAC Fines for Invasive Plants (PA 04-203).

AAC Invasive Plants (PA 03-136)

This act created a nine-member invasive plants council to educate the public, merchants, and plant buyers about problems associated with invasive plants; publish and periodically update a list of plants considered invasive or potentially invasive; and recommend ways to

control them. The council, using criteria the act sets out, may determine that certain plants are invasive or potentially invasive, and, by a two-thirds vote, recommend to the Environment Committee that it ban their import, export, wholesale or retail sale, or purchase.

The act prohibits state agencies from buying an invasive or potentially invasive plant unless its purchase is necessary to honor a contract in effect when the council designated the plant as invasive or potentially invasive. (However, an agency may transport such plants for educational or research purposes).

The act prohibited, from June 26, 2003 until May 5, 2004, any town from adopting an ordinance concerning the retail sale or purchase of any invasive plant, and bars the importation, transport, sale, purchase, possession, cultivation or distribution of seven specific plants (see below) regardless of any local ordinance to the contrary. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $ 100.

A more detailed summary of PA 03-136 can be found here. The text of the public act is available here.

AAC Fines for Invasive Plants (PA 04-203)

PA 03-136 prohibited people from importing, moving, selling, buying, possessing, cultivating or distributing seven specific invasive plants. Although the law prohibited anyone from possessing invasive plants, it also barred moving them, leaving plant owners uncertain how to dispose of them. PA 04-203 attempts to address that problem by allowing people to possess plants they already have, but bars them from transplanting them to another location.

Starting October 1, 2004, therefore, the law prohibits importing, moving, selling, buying, cultivating, distributing or transplanting the seven plants listed under PA 03-136 as well as 54 additional invasive plants. In addition, the act extends these prohibitions to another 20 invasive plants starting October 1, 2005. The act therefore covers 74 new plants in addition to the seven listed under PA 03-136, for a total of 81 plants. We list the 81 plants below.

The act reinstates the ban on municipalities enacting any ordinance regarding the retail sale or purchase of invasive plants starting October 1, 2004. The ban ends October 1, 2005.

The act specifies that the $ 100 fine for violating the law is $ 100 per plant.

Finally, PA 04-203 extends the council’s 2005 reporting deadline by one month, to February 1, 2005. The text of PA 04-203 is available here.

BANNED PLANTS

Plants Listed as Invasive Starting June 26, 2003

Plants Listed as Invasive Starting October 1, 2004:

Plants Listed as Invasive Starting October 1, 2005

FURTHER INFORMATION

More information on invasive plants is available on the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group web site, located here.

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