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House Bill No. 5331
Special Act No. 26-33
AN ACT CONCERNING THE AIR PERMITS OF CERTAIN
CREMATORIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) The Commissioner of Energy and
Environmental Protection shall establish a working group to evaluate
mercury vapor emissions and fine particulate matter emissions factors
associated with crematories used for human remains and to develop
recommendations for the use of such emissions factors in the review of
permit applications, registrations and other approvals issued pursuant
to section 22a-174 of the general statutes.
(b) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or
the commissioner's designee, shall convene the working group not later
than June 15, 2026, which may include the following members, as
appointed by the commissioner: (1) The Commissioner of Public Health,
or the commissioner's designee; (2) a representative of the Connecticut
Funeral Directors Association, as designated by such association; (3) a
representative of crematory operators in the state, as designated by the
commissioner in conjunctio n with the Connecticut Funeral Directors
Association; (4) a representative from the Cremation Association of
North America, as designated by the commissioner in conjunction with
the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association; (5) a representative from
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a crematory equipment supplier or manufacturer, as designated by the
commissioner in conjunction with the Connecticut Funeral Directors
Association; (6) a representative of a municipality with a crematory
located in the jurisdiction subject to permitting under section 22a-174 of
the general statutes; (7) a representative of an environmental
organization with expertise in air quality; (8) an individual with
expertise in mercury emissions, emissions modeling or atmospheric
science from an institution of highe r education; and (9) any other
person, as deemed necessary by the commissioner, to fulfill the
purposes of this section.
(c) In undertaking its work for the purposes described in subsection
(a) of this section, the working group shall: (1) Review the requirements
of section 22a -174 of the general statutes and any regulations adopted
pursuant to said section, including section 22a-174-3a of the Regulations
of Connecticut State Agencies, as such requirements apply to
crematories; (2) review federal regulations and guidance, including
from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the
Department of Energy and Environ mental Protection, and any other
state or local jurisdiction in the United States concerning mercury
emissions from crematories; (3) evaluate available data, emissions
factors and methodologies used to estimate mercury vapor emissions
and fine particulate matter emissions from the cremation of human
remains; (4) assess variability in mercury vapor emissions, including,
but not limited to, variability attributable to dental amalgam, operating
practices and emissions control technologies; (5) identify best av ailable
practices and technologies for minimizing mercury vapor emissions and
fine particulate matter emissions from crematories; (6) evaluate the
manner in which emissions factors are used by the Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection in implementing section 22a-174
of the general statutes, including, but not limited to, in permit
application review and establishment of new setback guidelines for
currently permitted crematories and whether updated factors are
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warranted; and (7) develop recommendations for mercury vapor
emissions factors and fine particulate matter emissions factors and
related guidance to be used by the department in carrying out its
responsibilities under section 22a-174 of the general statutes.
(d) Not later than January 15, 2027, the working group shall submit a
report, in accordance with section 11 -4a of the general statutes, to the
joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to the environment. Such r eport shall include the
findings and recommendations of the working group, including any
legislative recommendations.
(e) The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection shall
provide administrative staff support to the working group.
(f) The working group shall terminate on the date that it submits the
report required pursuant to subsection (d) of this section or January 15,
2027, whichever is later.