CT HB05208

Establishes an Office of the Permit Ombudsman within the Department of Economic and Community Development effective October 1, 2010, to expedite permit review for projects creating at least 100 jobs, 50 jobs in enterprise zones, brownfield development, green technology businesses, and transit-oriented development.

Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to identify permit application deficiencies within 60 days and issue tentative permit determinations within 180 days of receiving sufficient application materials, with annual public reporting on instances where these timeframes are not met.

Allows petitions to halt permit hearings if withdrawn by an authorized designee, and requires the commissioner to establish an expedited permitting pilot program for at least 200 manufacturing or industrial facilities.

Removes the requirement for public hearings prior to adopting water quality standards and instead requires the Department of Environmental Protection to provide 90 days' notice before proposing regulation changes.

Requires consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by October 31, 2010, to establish a consulting services program for environmental compliance assistance, and mandates annual reporting on the permit ombudsman's activities in the Department of Economic and Community Development's annual report.