CT SB00896

Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection must submit an annual report by January 1, 2024, and yearly thereafter detailing hazardous tree removal activities in state parks for the previous calendar year.

Report must include identification of affected state parks, total acreage, whether removed trees were already fallen or newly felled, reasons for removal, total costs and funding sources, descriptions of trees with unique characteristics (age, caliper, species, canopy, aesthetics), and planned removal projects.

State establishes a goal to increase tree canopy cover in environmental justice communities by 5 percent of total area in communities currently having less than 40 percent tree canopy coverage, to be achieved by January 1, 2040.