HB 6551 Summary

• Establishes an Environmental Equity Working Group within the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to identify disadvantaged communities based on environmental pollution, socioeconomic factors, and climate vulnerability by October 1, 2022.

• Requires the working group to consist of 5 environmental equity community representatives, 2 Environmental Justice Program representatives, 2 Public Health representatives, 2 Housing representatives, and 2 Labor Department representatives.

• Mandates that the Department and Connecticut Siting Council deny permit applications with less harmful alternatives available, or deny applications that would cause disproportionate cumulative environmental or public health stressors in environmental justice communities, unless there is compelling public interest.

• Modifies greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements to ensure attainment of state-wide emission levels rather than merely showing reasonable further progress.

• Requires qualified data centers entering agreements on or after July 1, 2021 to use EPA Tier 2 emergency generators, limit nonemergency generator emissions to 0.72 g/KW-hr nitrogen oxides and 0.036 g/KW-hr ammonia, and achieve green building certification within 180 days of operation.