AN ACT CONCERNING PROTECTION OF OPEN SPACE LAND SURROUNDING CANDLEWOOD LAKE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For purposes of this section, "Candlewood Lake open space property" means approximately four hundred fifty-four acres located in the town of New Fairfield known as Vaughn's Neck, approximately two hundred fifty-six acres located in the town of New Milford known as Great Mountain or Candlewood Mountain, approximately fifty-two acres located in the town of Sherman known as Deer Island and approximately thirty-seven acres located in the town of Sherman known as Green Island, and "open space or recreational purposes" means use of lands for agriculture, parks, natural areas, forests, camping, fishing, wetlands preservation, wildlife habitat, reservoirs, hunting, golfing, boating, swimming and hiking.

(b) Upon a decision to lease, sell or dispose of Candlewood Lake open space property, the owner of such property shall provide written notice to the Commissioner of Environmental Protection of such decision.

(c) Not later than thirty days after receipt of the notice pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the commissioner shall provide written notice to the town in which the subject Candlewood Lake open space property is located and the nonprofit land holding organizations that have submitted information pursuant to subsection (b) of section 16-50c of the general statutes.

(d) A recipient of a notice pursuant to subsection (c) of this section may, not later than ninety days after receipt of the notice, provide written notice to the commissioner and the owner of the subject Candlewood Lake open space property by certified mail, return receipt requested, of a desire to acquire such land. Each recipient shall have the right to acquire the interest in the land which the owner of the subject property has declared its intent to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of, provided the recipient offers fair market value for such property.

(e) When more than one person gives notice of a desire to acquire the subject Candlewood Lake open space property, the right to acquire such land shall be in the following order: (1) A water company, as defined in section 25-32a of the general statutes, for water supply purposes; (2) a municipality in which the land is located for water supply, open space or recreational purposes; (3) the state for open space or recreational purposes; (4) a private, nonprofit land holding organization for open space or recreational purposes.