CHAPTER 454
GREENWAYS

      Sec. 23-100. Definitions. As used in sections 23-101, 23-102, 32-6a, 32-9qq, 32-327 and 32-228, "greenway" means a corridor of open space that (1) may protect natural resources, preserve scenic landscapes and historical resources or offer opportunities for recreation or nonmotorized transportation, (2) may connect existing protected areas and provide access to the outdoors, (3) may be located along a defining natural feature, such as a waterway, along a man-made corridor, including an unused right-of-way, traditional trail routes or historic barge canals or (4) may be a greenspace along a highway or around a village.

      (P.A. 95-335, S. 1, 26.)

      History: P.A. 95-335 effective July 1, 1995.

      Sec. 23-101. Greenways capital grant program. Greenways small grants program. Regulations. (a) There is established a greenways capital grant program that shall be administered by the Department of Environmental Protection. Grants may be made to municipalities and other organizations for the purpose of providing matching funds to develop greenways, including, but not limited to, transportation-related greenways supported by the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, as amended from time to time. The amount of any grant shall be as follows: (1) For transportation greenways projects that are part of interstate greenways, not more than twenty per cent of the project cost; and (2) for transportation greenways projects that are local spurs from interstate greenways or that are intertown greenways projects, not more than ten per cent of the project cost; and (3) for greenways that are not transportation greenways, not more than half of the capital costs of the project.

      (b) There is established a greenways small grants program which shall be administered by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. The commissioner may, within available appropriations, make a grant to any municipality, regional planning agency organized under the provisions of chapter 127, any regional council of elected officials organized under the provisions of chapter 50, or any regional council of government organized under the provisions of sections 4-124i to 4-124p, inclusive, and nongovernmental organizations for planning, design and implementation of greenway projects. Any grant shall be not more than five thousand dollars and the total amount of all grants under this subsection shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars in any fiscal year. Land acquisition costs shall not be eligible for reimbursement with grants under this section.

      (c) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to implement this section.

      (P.A. 95-335, S. 2, 26; P.A. 00-148, S. 15.)

      History: P.A. 95-335 effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 00-148 amended Subsec. (a) by changing "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991" to "Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century" and by making a technical change.

      Sec. 23-102. Connecticut Greenways Council. (a) There shall be a Connecticut Greenways Council which shall be within the Department of Environmental Protection for administrative purposes only. The council shall consist of eleven members, five to be appointed by the Governor, one to be appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one to be appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one to be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one to be appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one to be appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives and one to be appointed by the minority leader of the Senate. All appointments to the council shall be made on or before October 1, 1995. Three of the members initially appointed by the Governor shall serve a term of two years and two of the members appointed by the Governor shall serve a term of four years. All members appointed by the Governor thereafter shall serve a term of four years. The terms of all members appointed by members of the General Assembly shall be coterminous with the terms of members of the General Assembly. The appointing authority shall fill any vacancy by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term vacated. The chairman of said council shall be selected by the Governor. Members of said council shall receive no compensation for their services on the council. The council shall hold one meeting each quarter and such additional meetings as may be prescribed by council rules. Special meetings may be called by the chairman or by any three members upon delivery of forty-eight hours' written notice to each member. The council may employ an executive director, exclusive of the provisions of chapter 67, and such additional staff and contractors and consultants as may be necessary to carry out its duties and may share the personnel and resources of the council on environmental quality, within available appropriations. The council may receive aid or contributions from any source, including grants-in-aid from any state agency.

      (b) The duties of the council shall be: (1) To advise and assist in the coordination of state agencies, municipalities, regional planning organizations and private citizens in voluntarily planning and implementing a system of greenways; (2) to operate a greenways help center to advise state agencies, municipalities, regional planning organizations and private citizens in the technical aspects of planning, designing and implementing greenways, including advice on securing state, federal and nongovernmental grants; (3) to establish criteria for designation of greenways; (4) to maintain an inventory of greenways in the state which shall include the location of greenways transportation projects which have received grants under sections 23-101, 32-6a, 32-9qq and 32-328; (5) to advise the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development on the distribution of grants for greenways transportation projects pursuant to sections 32-6a, 32-9qq and 32-328; and (6) to advise the Commissioner of Environmental Protection on the distribution of grants pursuant to section 23-101.

      (P.A. 95-250, S. 1; 95-335, S. 3, 26; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)

      History: P.A. 95-335 effective July 1, 1995 (Revisor's note: P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 authorized substitution of "Commissioner of Economic and Community Development" for "Commissioner of Economic Development").

      See Sec. 4-38f for definition of "administrative purposes only".