(a) There is established an account to be known as the “Long Island Sound account”. The Long Island Sound account shall be a separate, nonlapsing account of the General Fund. Any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account shall be deposited in and credited to the Long Island Sound account. The account shall be available to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection for (1) (A) restoration and rehabilitation of tidal wetlands in proximity to Long Island Sound, (B) restoration and rehabilitation of estuarine embayments in proximity to Long Island Sound, (C) acquisition of public access to Long Island Sound, (D) propagation of and habitat protection for shellfish and finfish, including anadromous fish, and (E) education and public outreach programs to enhance the public's understanding of the need to protect and conserve the natural resources of Long Island Sound; (2) allocation of grants to agencies, institutions or persons, including, but not limited to, the Long Island Sound Foundation, to conduct research and to provide public education and public awareness to enhance understanding and management of the natural resources of Long Island Sound; (3) provision of funds for services which support the protection and conservation of the natural resources of Long Island Sound; or (4) reimbursement of the Department of Motor Vehicles for the cost of producing, issuing, renewing and replacing Long Island Sound commemorative number plates, including administrative expenses, pursuant to section 14-21e.

(b) The commissioner may receive private donations to the Long Island Sound account and any such receipts shall be deposited in the account.

(c) The commissioner may provide for the reproduction and marketing of the Long Island Sound commemorative number plate image for use on clothing, recreational equipment, posters, mementoes, or other products or programs deemed by the commissioner to be suitable as a means of supporting the Long Island Sound account. Any funds received by the commissioner from such marketing shall be deposited in the Long Island Sound account.

(d) Within the Long Island Sound account, there shall be a subaccount to be known as the “habitat restoration matching subaccount”. The subaccount shall contain donations required to be deposited in the subaccount pursuant to section 14-21e. The subaccount may also contain moneys from public or private sources, or from the federal government or a municipal government. The subaccount shall be available to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to: (1) Match federal and private habitat restoration and rehabilitation funds, (2) provide grants to municipalities and nonprofit organizations for habitat restoration and rehabilitation purposes within the Long Island Sound watershed, (3) complete wildlife habitat acquisition, enhancement and management projects, (4) promote public habitat restoration, rehabilitation and acquisition outreach within the Long Island Sound watershed, and (5) provide support to lobster fishermen adversely impacted by any regulatory action deemed necessary to rebuild the Long Island Sound lobster population. Nothing in this section shall prevent the commissioner from obtaining or using funds from sources other than the subaccount for the restoration and rehabilitation of habitats within the Long Island Sound watershed.

(Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 188; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; 11-246, S. 2.)

History: Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 effective October 5, 2009; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsecs. (a) and (d), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-246 added Subsec. (d) re habitat restoration matching subaccount, effective July 13, 2011.