Substitute Senate Bill No. 571
          Substitute Senate Bill No. 571

              PUBLIC ACT NO. 98-224


AN ACT CONCERNING  WATER  DIVERSION  POLICY  AND A
TASK FORCE ON  THE  PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES.


    Be it enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
    Section  1. Section  22a-375  of  the  general
statutes  is  repealed   and   the   following  is
substituted in lieu thereof:
    (a)   The   commissioner    may   periodically
investigate and review  those diversions which are
taking  place  pursuant  to  a  permit  issued  in
accordance  with  sections   22a-365  to  22a-378,
inclusive. If he  determines  that  there  is  any
violation of the  terms, limitations or conditions
of the permit,  he  may  suspend  or  revoke  said
permit  in  accordance   with  the  provisions  of
chapter 54 or  may request the Attorney General to
bring  an  action  to  enjoin  such  violation  in
accordance with the  provisions  of subsection (a)
of section 22a-376.
    (b)   THE  COMMISSIONER   SHALL   PREPARE   AN
INVENTORY  OF  THOSE   DIVERSIONS   REGISTERED  IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION  22a-368. THE COMMISSIONER
SHALL PREPARE A  REPORT  FOR  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
WHICH SHALL BE  DELIVERED  ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1,
2000,  AND SHALL  INCLUDE:  (1)  AN  INVENTORY  OF
DIVERSION REGISTRATIONS FILED ON OR BEFORE JULY 1,
1983;  (2)  AN   INVENTORY   OF   THE   WITHDRAWAL
QUANTITIES ACKNOWLEDGED FOR SUCH REGISTRATION; AND
(3) AN IDENTIFICATION OF THOSE REGISTRATIONS WHICH
ARE PLANNED TO BE USED BY THE REGISTRANTS.
    Sec. 2. Utilizing  the information compiled in
the inventory prepared  under  section  22a-375 of
the general statutes,  as  amended by section 1 of
this  act,  the   Commissioner   of  Environmental
Protection,  in  consultation   with   any   water
allocation subcommittee of  the  Rivers Protection
Advisory  Committee,  established   under  section
25-102qq  of  the  general  statutes,  shall  make
recommendations to the joint standing committee of
the General Assembly  having cognizance of matters
relating to the  environment  on or before January
1, 2000, regarding (1) the adequacy of state water
allocation policies in  protecting  and preserving
the integrity of  water  resources while providing
for   public  drinking   water   needs   and   (2)
establishing a methodology  for  allocating  water
for other uses  when consistent with protection of
such resources.
    Sec. 3. Section  15  of  public  act 98-195 is
repealed.
    Sec. 4. This  act  shall  take effect from its
passage, except that  section  1 shall take effect
October 1, 1998.

Approved June 8, 1998