(a)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 22a-449a to 22a-449i, inclusive, and any regulations adopted pursuant to section 22a-449e, any amount available for purposes of paying applicants under the underground storage tank clean-up program shall be distributed as follows: (A) One-quarter for payment or reimbursement to municipal applicants and other applicants; (B) one-quarter for payment or reimbursement to small station applicants; (C) one-quarter for payment or reimbursement to mid-size station applicants; and (D) one-quarter for payment or reimbursement to large station applicants. If at any time there is an amount remaining in one such category and if in such category there are no pending applications or applications for which payment or reimbursement has been ordered by the commissioner but has not been made, or if such category is for payment or reimbursement to mid-size station or large station applicants and the most recent reverse auction under subsection (c) of this section results in no payment to any such applicant or there is an amount remaining after taking into account all potential payments that could be made to any such applicants in said category, then such amount shall be redistributed for payment or reimbursement in the following order of priority: (i) First to municipal applicants and other applicants, (ii) if after redistribution pursuant to subclause (i) of this subdivision there is an amount remaining, then to small station applicants, (iii) if after redistribution pursuant to subclauses (i) and (ii) of this subdivision there is an amount remaining, then to mid-size station applicants, and (iv) if after redistribution pursuant to subclauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this subdivision there is an amount remaining, then to large station applicants.

(2) The commissioner shall determine whether an applicant is a municipal applicant, small, mid-size or large station applicant or other applicant. Such determination shall be based on the applicant's status at the time the commissioner received the applicant's first application for payment or reimbursement. In making such determination, the commissioner shall include all affiliates of an applicant and shall consider any underground storage tank system owned, operated, leased or used by an applicant on the property of another to be an interest in a parcel of real property. The commissioner shall make one such determination per applicant. Such determination shall apply to all applications submitted by such applicant before, on or after June 15, 2012, including, but not limited to, applications for which payment or reimbursement has been ordered by the commissioner but has not been made. In the case of assignees under subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 22a-449c, for assignments made prior to July 1, 2012, the commissioner shall determine the assignee to be an other applicant and for assignments made on or after July 1, 2012, the assignee shall assume the status of the assignor. Each applicant shall submit information regarding whether it is a municipal applicant, small, mid-size or large station applicant or other applicant to the commissioner, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, and shall provide any additional information the commissioner deems necessary to make such determination. The commissioner shall not order payment or reimbursement to an applicant until the commissioner makes the determination required under this subdivision for such applicant.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 22a-449a to 22a-449i, inclusive, payment or reimbursement to municipal applicants, small station applicants and other applicants shall be in accordance with this subsection and shall follow the order of priority set forth in this subsection. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to all applications submitted by such applicants before, on or after June 15, 2012, including, but not limited to, applications for which payment or reimbursement has been ordered by the commissioner but has not been made. Priority shall be given to those applications for which the commissioner has ordered payment or reimbursement beginning from the earliest date payment or reimbursement was ordered. If payment or reimbursement was ordered on the same day, priority shall be given to those applications that were received by the commissioner earliest. If there are insufficient funds to satisfy payment and reimbursement of municipal applicants, small station applicants and other applicants, the prioritization established pursuant to this subsection shall carry over to the subsequent fiscal quarter, and if necessary, from year to year.

(c) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 22a-449a to 22a-449i, inclusive, and any regulations adopted pursuant to section 22a-449e, payment or reimbursement to mid-size station applicants and large station applicants under the program shall be in accordance with this subsection and shall follow the order of priority set forth in this subsection.

(2) The provisions of this subsection shall create a reverse auction system, and shall apply to all applications submitted by mid-size or large station applicants before, on or after June 15, 2012, including, but not limited to, applications for which payment or reimbursement has been ordered by the commissioner but has not been made. For purposes of this section, a payment election at or below the amount specified in subparagraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision shall be called the “reduced payment election”.

(A) In the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, no payment shall be made to mid-size station applicants in excess of thirty-five cents on each dollar the commissioner orders to be paid or reimbursed under the program. In the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and each fiscal year thereafter, such amount shall increase by ten cents on each dollar per fiscal year and in such years no payment or reimbursement shall be made in excess of the amount in effect for such fiscal year. After such amount reaches one dollar, it shall no longer increase. In addition, if a mid-size station applicant agrees, in writing, not to submit any applications seeking payment or reimbursement under the program on or after October 1, 2012, such applicant shall receive an additional ten cents on each dollar that would be paid to such applicant pursuant to this subdivision, provided such additional ten cents shall not be counted when determining such mid-sized station applicant's priority for payment pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection and shall not result in an applicant receiving more than one dollar on each dollar the commissioner orders to be paid or reimbursed under the program.

(B) In the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, no payment shall be made to large station applicants in excess of twenty cents on each dollar the commissioner orders to be paid or reimbursed under the program. In the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and each fiscal year thereafter, such amount shall increase by five cents per fiscal year and in such years no payment or reimbursement shall be made in excess of the amount in effect for such fiscal year. After such amount reaches one dollar, it shall no longer increase.

(3) (A) Each mid-size station applicant and large station applicant shall submit a payment election to the commissioner. Such payment election shall indicate what, if any, reduced payment election the applicant accepts. Such payment election shall be submitted, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, between July first and August first, or such additional time periods prescribed by the commissioner, annually, unless:

(i) Such applicant is submitting an application for the first time, in which case such applicant shall submit a payment election with such application; or

(ii) Such applicant has submitted a reduced payment election, in which case, a subsequent payment election shall not be required, but may be submitted if an applicant agrees to accept a lower reduced payment election than was made in the previously submitted payment election.

(B) An applicant's payment election, including a reduced payment election, shall apply to, and shall be the same for, all applications submitted by such applicant before, on or after June 15, 2012, including, but not limited to, applications for which payment or reimbursement has been ordered by the commissioner but has not been made. An applicant's payment election shall remain in effect regardless of when the commissioner orders payment or reimbursement for an application or when payment for an application is made. An applicant's payment election shall be final and shall not be modified unless an applicant subsequently agrees to a lower reduced payment election pursuant to subparagraph (A)(ii) of this subdivision.

(C) An applicant's acceptance of payment or reimbursement in the amounts specified in such applicant's reduced payment election shall be considered final and full payment of all applications covered by such election and with the acceptance of such payment or reimbursement, an applicant agrees that it shall not seek any additional payment or reimbursement of any kind in any administrative or judicial proceeding for any cost, expense or other obligation associated with any such applications.

(4) Among mid-size station applicants or among large station applicants, priority for payment or reimbursement shall be given to those applicants who, through the payment election process set forth in subdivision (3) of this subsection, agree to accept the greatest reduction in the amount ordered for payment or reimbursement by the commissioner under the program, provided such payment shall not exceed the amount set forth in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (2) of this subsection, as applicable. In the case where the reduced payment election is equal among two or more mid-size station applicants or among two or more large station applicants, priority shall be given to those applications for which the commissioner ordered payment or reimbursement, beginning from the earliest date payment or reimbursement was ordered. In the case where such reduced payment election is equal among applicants and the commissioner ordered payment or reimbursement on the same day, priority shall be given to those applications that were received by the commissioner earliest. Any mid-size or large station applicant that chooses not to make the reduced payment election shall receive payment when the amount specified in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (2) of this subsection, as applicable, reaches one dollar and there are no mid-size and large station applicants with applications for which the commissioner has ordered payment or reimbursement, and who made the reduced payment election, remaining to be paid. Among mid-size station applicants who choose not to make the reduced payment election or among large station applicants who choose not to make the reduced payment election, priority with respect to the issuance of payment or reimbursement shall be given to those applications for which the commissioner has ordered payment or reimbursement, beginning from the earliest date payment or reimbursement was ordered. If there are insufficient funds to satisfy payment and reimbursement of mid-size and large station applicants, the prioritization established pursuant to this subsection shall carry over to the subsequent fiscal quarter, and if necessary, from year to year, provided such prioritization may change based upon a subsequent reduced payment election submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A)(ii) of subdivision (3) of this subsection.

(June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 261; P.A. 13-247, S. 238.)

History: June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 effective June 15, 2012; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsec. (a) by inserting “paying applicants under” and adding provision re redistribution for order of priority if category is for payment or reimbursement to mid-size station or large station applicants and the most recent reverse auction resulted in no payment or if there is an amount remaining after all potential payments in category are taken into account in Subdiv. (1), and adding provision requiring commissioner to determine the assignee to be an other applicant for assignments made prior to July 1, 2012, and requiring the assignee to assume the status of the assignor after July 1, 2012, in Subdiv. (2), effective June 19, 2013.