2026 Watch List
Coming soon!
2026 Legislative Priorities
Protecting Our Inland Waters and Long Island Sound
Connecticut’s wetlands and watercourses connect our communities to drinking water, healthy fisheries, thriving coastal waters, and resilient ecosystems. In 2026, Rivers Alliance will focus on three priority issues that address some of the most significant and growing threats to our waters: protecting our wild edges for healthier waters, ensuring that regulations going forward for subsurface sewage address pollution concerns, and impacts of wake-surfing on our lakes and ponds.
Protecting Wild Edges for Healthier Waters
The issue:
Protecting the natural vegetation along our waterways – aka vegetated riparian buffers – is a top priority for Rivers Alliance. Wild edges are the naturally vegetated lands along rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. These areas are increasingly fragmented or lost due to development, clearing, mowing, and shoreline hardening because Connecticut currently does not have explicit protections for this important resource.
Why it matters:
Wild edges are among the most effective and affordable tools for protecting water quality and aquatic ecosystems. They filter polluted runoff before it reaches waterways, stabilize banks and shorelines, reduce flooding and erosion, and provide shade that keeps waters cool for fish and other aquatic life. These natural areas also serve as vital corridors for wildlife and help ecosystems adapt to high intensity-short duration precipitation events by absorbing heavier rainfall and rising waters.
What we’re advocating for:
Recognition, protection, and restoration of our wild edges as an essential nature-based solution for clean water, healthy habitats, and climate resilience.
Managing Impacts from Wake-Enhancing Boats
The issue:
Motor boats operating in wake-enhancing mode are designed to generate large, powerful waves for recreational surfing and are increasingly used on Connecticut’s lakes and rivers.
Why it matters:
Artificially large wakes can accelerate shoreline erosion, damage near-shore habitat, disturb aquatic vegetation, and resuspend sediments that harm water quality. These impacts threaten fish and wildlife, undermine shoreline protection efforts, and reduce the long-term health of lakes and rivers. Balancing recreational use with ecological protection is essential to maintaining vibrant and resilient waterways.
What we’re advocating for:
Thoughtful management of wake-enhancing activities to protect shorelines, aquatic habitats, and the shared public use of Connecticut’s waters.
Reducing Pollution from Subsurface Sewage Systems
The issue:
Many homes and businesses in Connecticut rely on subsurface sewage disposal systems. Aging, failing, or poorly located systems can release nitrogen and other pollutants into groundwater, rivers, lakes, and Long Island Sound. A jurisdiction shift from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to the Department of Public Health (DPH) has brought uncertainty to control of nitrogen as DPH develops regulations.
Why it matters:
Excess nitrogen fuels harmful algal blooms, degrades freshwater and coastal habitats, and contributes to oxygen-depleted conditions in Long Island Sound. Subsurface sewage pollution can also threaten drinking water supplies and public health. Addressing this source of pollution is critical to protecting both inland waters and coastal ecosystems, particularly in communities without centralized sewer systems.
What we’re advocating for:
Strong, science-based approaches to reduce pollution from septic systems while supporting homeowners and communities in protecting local water resources. Additionally, ensuring that there is some predictability and process improvements to ensure that progress can be made on the development of affordable housing.
Other Issues We’re Watching and Supporting
- Water use by data centers, to ensure growth does not further strain local water resources and impact affordability.
- Water utility mergers and water affordability, with a focus on local control, strong oversight, and sustainable infrastructure investment.
- Funding and staffing for DEEP water programs, which are essential for enforcement, support for our local communities and watershed groups, and planning
- Persistent and emerging contaminants such as pesticides, PFAS, and 1,4-dioxane
- Clean energy policies, to ensure climate solutions also protect our waters
- Defending foundational environmental laws, to prevent backsliding on water protections
Our Commitment
Rivers Alliance supports science-based, equitable solutions that protect water quality, uphold the public trust in water, and strengthen the resilience of Connecticut’s rivers, lakes, and Long Island Sound for generations to come.
Past Sessions
2025
(supports/opposed lead to Rivers Alliance Testimony)
Bills that have become Public Acts
7174 AN ACT CONCERNING RIPARIAN AREAS – Supports Now Special Act 25-12
1404 AN ACT CONCERNING CONFORMING ADJUSTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE TRANSITION TO A RELEASED-BASED CLEANUP PROGRAM – Supports Now Public Act 25-6
6830 AN ACT CONCERNING TRAINING FOR MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF INLAND WETLANDS – Supports UPDATE: This bill was moved to HB 6957. STATUS: Passed by House of Representatives and waiting to be called in the Senate. Now Public Act 25-73
9 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABLE MUNICIPAL AND STATE PLANNING – Supports STATUS: Amended and Passed in the Senate and waiting to be called in the House of Representatives. Now Public Act 25-33
5002 AN ACT CONCERNING HOUSING AND THE NEEDS OF HOMELESS PERSONS – Supports but stresses the need to maintain protections for water resources. Now Public Act 25-49
6868 AN ACT ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING PREDICTABILITY – Opposes section 4. Now Public Act 25-84.
7085 AN ACT CONCERNING A REVIEW OF THE RELEASE-BASED CLEANUP PROGRAM AND RELATED REGULATIONS – Supports Now Public Act 25-54
6977 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH’S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING DRINKING WATER – Opposes sections 2&3 UPDATE: This bill was moved to HB 6978 Now Public Act 25-96
6995 AN ACT CONCERNING THE CHARTER OF THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY – Opposes Now Special Act 25-11
5004 AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND ASSOCIATED JOB SECTORS – Supports Now Public Act 25-125.
5013 AN ACT ADDING CERTAIN PLANTS TO THE INVASIVE PLANTS LIST – Supports Now Public Act 25-126
Bills that made it out of committee but did not pass both chambers
7172 AN ACT CONCERNING THE SEWAGE RIGHT-TOKNOW ACT – Supports STATUS: May not move forward due to fiscal note imposed by DEEP.
884 AN ACT CONCERNING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE CONCENTRATION FOR 1,4-DIOXANE IN HOUSEHOLD CLEANING AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS AND COSMETICS – Supports STATUS: May not move forward due to fiscal note imposed by DEEP
1292 AN ACT CONCERNING ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DATA CENTERS – Supports and offers enhancements
7061 AN ACT CONCERNING MANDATORY MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS – Supports
6249 AN ACT LIMITING APPEALS UNDER THE CONNECTICUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT – Opposes
These bills did not move forward after the public hearing
6455 AN ACT CONCERNING THE AUTHORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO MODIFY OR REVOKE A CONSENT ORDER – Opposes
58 AN ACT AUTHORIZING RESIDENTS LIVING IN A FLOOD ZONE TO LAY UP TO TEN THOUSAND CUBIC YARDS OF LANDSCAPE FILL PER YEAR IN THEIR YARD AND ESTABLISHING A TAX DEDUCTION FOR THE COSTS OF SUCH FILL AND A GRANT PROGRAM FOR ROAD RAISING – Opposes
1245 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A RESILIENT CONNECTICUT STRATEGY – Supports
6280 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CLIMATE CHANGE SUPERFUND – Supports
75 AN ACT REQUIRING THE EXPEDITING OF PERMITS FOR THE REMEDIATION OF HYDRILLA IN LAKES ACROSS THE STATE – Opposes as written but supports concept
732 AN ACT REQUIRING THE STATE WATER PLAN TO BE AMENDED TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE – Supports
647 AN ACT CONCERNING PROTECTIONS FOR CONSUMER ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE ELECTRICITY – Opposes
887 AN ACT EXEMPTING CERTAIN COOKWARE FROM PFAS REQUIREMENTS – Opposes
6916 AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF NEONICOTINOIDS – Supports
5749 AN ACT CONCERNING ADVANCED SEPTIC SYSTEMS WITH NITROGEN-REMOVAL FEATURES – Opposes
1351 AN ACT CONCERNING RELEASE-BASED CLEANUP REMEDIATION STANDARDS IN LIEU OF THE TRANSFER ACT – Supports
2023
Rivers Alliance of Connecticut’s state legislative and funding priorities for 2023 include:
Make real progress on addressing PFAS
Per- and Poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a serious human and environmental health concern. We support the following efforts to address threats from this “forever chemical.”
- Ban on use of PFAS in aqueous fire-fighting foam (AFFF) for training purposes and phase out of PFAS in AFFF.
- Phase out in food packaging – With no firm resolution to phase PFAS out of consumer products, food packaging in particular, remediation efforts will never end and there will be no meaningful reduction in exposure of Connecticut’s citizens to PFAS. Legislation to phase out PFAS in food packaging similar to that passed in Washington State in 2018, and work toward an eventual phase out in all consumer products is essential.
Protect (insert any living thing and aquatic resource here) from pesticides.
We must get a handle on the regulation and use of pesticides as well as ban those that are a threat to environmental and human health.
Don’t let another opportunity to address our Solid Waste crisis go to waste!
Why would Rivers Alliance care so much about solid waste policy? A strong and sensible solid waste policy means a reduction in littering and illegal dumping. Those who have participated in a river cleanup have seen first-hand that single-use plastics and polystyrene are a REAL problem for our waterways and, ultimately, our oceans. We support bills that will implement or accomplish the following:
- Modernize the Bottle Bill!
- Add more items to CT’s robust Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs – Particularly for tires
- Ban polystyrene for food packaging and ban un-encapsulated polystyrene dock floats
- Reduce, phase out, and ban single-use plastic items
Give water companies the tools and incentives necessary to encourage demand- side conservation and wise water use.
If water utilities do not have to choose between generating revenue and encouraging their customers to conserve water on a daily basis and implementing restrictions during drought, there would be more water for our rivers and streams. Furthermore, all category of utilities should be able to take advantage of these programs.
Protect good laws and regulations for water policy and environmental protection.
Here are just a few, but the possibilities are many:
- Maintain protections of our drinking water watershed lands
- Keep the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act intact
- Defend Connecticut’s policy on Public Trust
- Fight efforts to undermine DEEP’s authority to protect our environment
Maintain funding for and oppose “raids” on important programs.
- The Clean Water Fund supports DEEP’s financial assistance to municipalities for projects addressing wastewater needs. Upgrading our aging wastewater infrastructure can be a financial burden on our communities but doing so improves water quality in the rivers and streams in which we recreate and improves the health of Long Island Sound. We must maintain the current level of funding.
- The Passport to Parks program has brought much needed funding to State Parks and other recreation-related divisions of DEEP as well as CEQ and our Conservation Districts. We must ensure that this revenue stream remains strong and its beneficiaries are not undermined.
- Protect the Community Investment Act, which generates funding for state programs for open space, farmland/dairy production, historic preservation, and affordable housing. The best way to protect water quality is to preserve open space and forest land.
- Support funding for a statewide PFAS testing program for water and fish.
2023 Bill Status
| Bill # | Title | RA Testimony | Most Recent Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6479 | AN ACT CONCERNING CLIMATE RESILIENCY FUNDS AND PROJECTS | Yes | Passed |
| 6480 | AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP ON THE RESTORATION OF EEL GRASS | Yes | Passed |
| 6483 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE OPEN SPACE AND WATERSHED LAND ACQUISITION GRANT PROGRAM | Yes | Passed |
| 122 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE REPLANTING OF TREES IN PUBLIC AREAS CLEARED BY UTILITY COMPANIES | Yes | Failed |
| 6486 | AN ACT CONCERNING EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY FOR TIRES | Yes | Passed |
| 896 | AN ACT CONCERNING TREE REMOVAL ON PROPERTIES UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION | Yes | Passed |
| 964 | AN ACT CONCERNING CONSENT ORDERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION | Yes | Failed |
| 963 | AN ACT CONCERNING NEONICOTINOIDS FOR NONAGRICULTURAL USE | Yes | Failed |
| 6610 | AN ACT CONCERNING “NO NET LOSS” OF STATE FORESTLANDS | Yes | Failed |
| 100 | AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN ACCOUNT IN THE GENERAL FUND TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO TOWNS THAT NEED PFAS TESTING AND REMEDIATION | Yes | Passed |
| 6608 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SINGLE-USE PLASTIC STRAWS AND STIRRERS BY CERTAIN RESTAURANTS | Yes | Failed |
| 6606 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS MADE FROM POLYSTYRENE | Yes | Failed |
| 5608 | AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC FACILITIES LOCATED ON PRIME FARMLAND, FARMLAND OF STATE-WIDE IMPORTANCE OR CORE FOREST LANDS | Yes | Passed |
| 6647 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE STATE PLAN OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT | Yes | Failed |
| 1001 | AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS | Yes | Passed in amendment to SB 998 |
| 5888 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY | Yes | Failed |
| 123 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY, THE REGULATION OF ELECTRIC RATES AND STATE PUBLIC POLICY CONCERNING ELECTRICITY GENERATION | Yes | Failed but very undesirable changes to hydropower in amendment to SB 7 which passed |
| 5616 | AN ACT IMPROVING STANDARDS FOR INLAND WETLAND COMMISSION AUTHORITY MEMBERSHIP AND ENFORCEMENT | Yes | Failed but education standard improvements were moved to 6809 which did not pass. |
| 6809 | AN ACT CONCERNING FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR CERTAIN STREAMSIDE BUFFERS | Yes | Failed |
| 5628 | AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE STATE’S HYDROPOWER ASSETS | Yes | Passed |
| 6850 | AN ACT CONCERNING HYDROPOWER | Yes | Failed |
| 5214 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONSERVATION OF CERTAIN WATERS AND LANDS OF THE UPPER FARMINGTON RIVER | Yes | Failed |
| 985 | AN ACT INCENTIVIZING HOUSING PRODUCTION | No | Failed but undesirable changes to local approvals for High Density Housing Zones were amended to HB 6941 which passed |
| 6733 | AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH’S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES | No | Passed |