Sec. 23-20. Powers and duties of commissioner. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 23-20. Powers and duties of commissioner. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall administer the statutes relating to forestry and the protection of forests. The commissioner may employ such field and office assistants as may be necessary for the execution of his or her duties. The commissioner may, from time to time, publish the forestry laws of the state and other literature of general interest and practical value pertaining to forestry. The commissioner may enter into cooperation with departments of the federal government for the promotion of forest resource management and protection within the state. The commissioner may, with the assistance of the State Forester, develop and administer plans for the protection and management of publicly owned woodlands. Such plans shall include, but not be limited to proposals for the establishment of forest plantations and the marketing of forest products. Not later than January 10, 2010, the commissioner shall apply to have publicly owned woodlands or products from such woodlands certified or licensed under one or more of the following, provided the commissioner uses private funding from gifts, donations or bequests, as authorized in this section, for the cost of all such applications: (1) The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program, (2) the American Tree Farm System, (3) the Canadian Standards Association's Sustainable Management System Standards, (4) the Finnish Standard, (5) the Forest Stewardship Council, (6) the Pan-European Forest Certification Program, (7) the Swedish Standards, (8) the United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Scheme, (9) the Smart Wood Program, as administered by the Rainforest Alliance, or (10) any other programs deemed necessary, as determined by the commissioner. The commissioner shall implement any sustainable forestry practice necessary for such certification or licensure. The commissioner may accept, on behalf of the Department of Environmental Protection, any gifts, donations or bequests for the purposes of applying for and obtaining such certification or licensure. The commissioner may harvest forest products from woodlands owned by the state and take such other measures as he or she deems necessary for their efficient management and protection, may sell wood, timber and other products from any state woodlands whenever he or she deems such sales desirable and may develop recreational facilities in the woodlands managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. The commissioner shall charge no less than ten dollars per cord for any such wood or timber sold as fuel. The commissioner may rent state forest property and buildings thereon under his or her jurisdiction for a period not exceeding twenty-five years, provided any lease for such property and building for a term of more than ten years shall be subject to the review and approval of the State Properties Review Board. The proceeds of such sales, rentals and any receipts resulting from management of the state forests, or from reimbursements from other state departments or state institutions, shall be deposited in the General Fund in accordance with the provisions of section 4-32, provided the amount of annual proceeds in excess of six hundred thousand dollars derived from the sale of wood, timber and other products from publicly owned woodlands shall be deposited in the Conservation Fund, as established in section 22a-27h and shall be used only to support forestry programs. Expenditures incurred by the commissioner for the protection, management and development of the forests, the preparation and marketing of forest products and the acquisition of land for the extension and completion of the state forests as provided in section 23-21 may also be paid with moneys appropriated from the General Fund. The provisions of this section shall not apply to land owned or managed by the state on which forest resource management measures may be restricted by deed, statute, or incompatible use. As used in this section, woodland means land owned or managed by a state agency and stocked with forest tree species not less than six hundred stems per acre and at least one year old.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3446; 1949, 1951, June, 1955, S. 1864d; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 183; P.A. 74-83, S. 1; P.A. 81-354, S. 1, 4; P.A. 82-142; P.A. 84-82; P.A. 04-115, S. 1; P.A. 08-172, S. 1.)

      History: 1971 act transferred power to administer statutes concerning forests from state forester to commissioner of environmental protection, deleted references to supervisory duties of state park and forest commission and its director with regard to actions for which state forester was formerly responsible under section and replaced reference to the commission with reference to environmental protection commissioner; P.A. 74-83 substituted "personnel" for "men"; P.A. 81-354 required commissioner to charge no less than $10 per cord; P.A. 82-142 amended the section to expand land available for forest resource management and sale of wood from state forests to state woodlands, defined "woodlands" and authorized the commissioner of environmental protection to prepare forest management and protection plans without a prior request where previously his actions were dependent upon request of state agencies and institutions or municipalities if applicable; P.A. 84-82 extended the maximum duration of leases from 2 to 25 years and added a provision requiring review by the state properties review board for leases of 10 years or more; P.A. 04-115 authorized commissioner to have publicly-owned woodlands or products from such woodlands certified or licensed by specified entities, provided private funding is used for the cost of all applications, authorized commissioner to accept gifts, donations and bequests on behalf of department re applying for and obtaining certification and licensure, provided that proceeds from management of state forests in excess of $875,000 derived from sale of wood, timber and other products from publicly-owned woodlands shall be deposited in the Conservation Fund and made technical changes; P.A. 08-172 required commissioner to apply to have publicly owned woodlands or products from such woodlands certified or licensed not later than January 10, 2010, added "(10) any other programs deemed necessary, as determined by the commissioner" to list of authorized programs, changed proceeds deposit amount to amount in excess of $600,000, specified that moneys are only to be used to support forestry programs and changed certain mandatory expenditure payments to discretionary payments for moneys appropriated from the General Fund, effective June 6, 2008.

      See Sec. 12-107d re classification of land as forest land.

      See Secs. 23-65f to 23-65j, inclusive, re commissioner's duties re registration of loggers and foresters.