CT HB06480

Establishes a working group on eel grass restoration along Connecticut's shoreline, convened by co-chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee on environmental matters.

Working group membership includes shoreline conservation commission members, municipal shellfish commission members, a marine biologist from University of Connecticut at Avery Point, a Marine Science Magnet School student from Groton, and Save the Sound's Long Island Soundkeeper.

Chairperson must convene the first meeting within 30 days of the act's effective date and develop strategies for preservation, restoration, and expansion of eel grass along the state's shoreline.

Working group shall review and synthesize information from New York and Rhode Island studies, including Tier 1 mapping of Zostera marina in Long Island Sound and change analysis from University of Rhode Island.

Chairperson must submit a report by February 1, 2024, detailing the working group's strategies and identifying priority shoreline areas for implementation.