CT HB07154

Extends the deadline for the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to adopt sustainable building construction standards regulations from January 1, 2007 to January 1, 2020, applicable to state facilities and publicly-funded construction projects costing $2-5 million or more.

Requires new sustainable construction standards to be based on nationally recognized models for high-performance green buildings that reduce emissions, enhance occupant health, conserve water, promote sustainable materials, and provide resilience to natural and human-caused hazards, and must include electric vehicle charging station standards.

Eliminates a prior requirement for regulations based on EPA Energy Star performance ratings and related provisions that were set to be adopted by January 1, 2015.

Authorizes the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and Office of Consumer Counsel to retain consultants for regulatory proceedings, with expense caps of $200,000 per agency for larger companies and $50,000 for smaller companies, subject to good cause exceptions.

Permits consultant retention for proceedings before federal agencies including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and SEC, with expenses capped at $2.5 million per calendar year and paid by affected utilities and companies based on revenue proportions.