Enforcement:Some traditional measures of DEP enforcement activity, such as the number of cases referred to the Attorney General, are down considerably from 1990 levels. However, these may not be useful measures of the DEP's effectiveness in enforcing the law, nor are they measures of compliance, the goal of enforcement. The Council on Environmental Quality intends to work with interested parties in 1996 in determining what are good measures of enforcement and compliance, and monitor progress in those measures in subsequent years.

Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) are beneficial projects that violators fund as part of their settlements with the DEP. Examples include investments in advanced pollution control or prevention equipment, donations to community environmental projects, and flood plain mapping. The DEP is working on improved guidelines for SEPs, and the Council looks forward to reviewing the Department's progress in 1996.

The urban environment: Recent declines in cities' grand lists, such as Hartford's drop to pre-1990 levels, could have serious consequences for the environment. The Council will continue to work with interested citizens on matters pertaining to property tax structure, public spaces, and funding for environmental protection.

Connecticut and the rest of the world: Many nations and international business organizations are increasingly interested in sustainable development as an important ingredient of long-term prosperity. A set of international environmental standards, ISO 14000, promises to give marketing advantages to those companies able to comply. How will Connecticut's own regulations compare with these international standards and with those of other stares? How can one state's environmental policies be applied proactively to improve economic development and the environment? The CEQ is interested in finding these answers.

And the question no one can answer: Will he be back in ‘96?