1.Connecticut residents and private entities will practice an environmental ethic that is based on an understanding of their environment, their own dependence on it, and how their actions affect it.

1a. Percentage of students (k-12) receiving environmental education curriculum materials and training
Explanation: The target assumes an annual increase of approximately 1.5% in teacher participation in DEP sponsored environmental workshops. The target assumes an annual loss of experience teachers of approximately 50% of the prior year's gain through retirements, program shifts, etc. As this is an urgent benchmark aggressive targets are set. Currently data is gathered on a voluntary bases through teacher workshops statewide. Discussion: This benchmark will determine how many students have gone through the Connecticut school system having an understanding of their environment, their dependence on it, and how their actions affect it. Data Sources: DEP Office of Environmental Education

1b. Percentage of Connecticut residents that practice an environmental ethic
Explanation: A public survey must be developed and undertaken periodically to establish baseline data and to measure trends in behavior that reflect an awareness of an environmental ethic. Discussion: As major sources of pollution are reduced, to an increasing extent continuing environmental improvements will depend upon many small impacts resulting from the behavior of the general population. To continue to improve environmental quality more emphasis in the future must be directed toward changing this behavior so that fertilizers and pesticides are applied more carefully, waste oil is disposed of properly, major purchases reflect more attention to energy and water conservation, etc. Data Sources: Data will have to be developed by DEP in coordination with public survey agencies.

1c. Percentage of Connecticut private entities that practice an environmental ethic
Explanation: A public survey must be developed and undertaken periodically to establish baseline data and to measure trends in behavior that reflect an awareness of an environmental ethic. Discussion: It is generally far less costly to prevent pollution than it is to restore a polluted source to acceptable conditions. This benchmark will measure the progress at which public agencies and private firms perceive they engage in a selection of environmental practices on a regular basis. Data Sources: Data will have to be developed by DEP in coordination with public survey agencies.

1d. Percentage of critical statewide environmental databases that are up-to-date and accessible to the public
Explanation: There are 25 currently identified critical, statewide, environmental databases that are considered necessary for residents and private entities to use in order to intelligently practice an environmental ethic. As used in this benchmark, accessible generally means the data is timely, in a GIS format, and is accessible at a reasonable cost. The number of databases considered essential may change over time as environmental understanding changes. Discussion: Land use and environmental protection decisions require appropriate and credible information about the life sustaining natural systems and processes. To live in harmony with our environment all citizens must have access to the most complete data that will lead them to decisions with no or acceptable impacts to the environment. Once established some databases are relatively permanent (bedrock geology) which others are continuously changing. This benchmark will determine the number that are properly updated and readily availabe to the public. Responsibility would have to be assigned to appropriate agencies to develop and update these critical statewide databases. Data Sources: Various DEP bureaus as well as other state agencies.

2. No segment of Connecticut's population will bear a disproportionate share of the risks and consequences of environmental pollution or be denied equal access to environmental benefits.

2a. Percentage of contaminated sites in designated categories of distressed communities that have been remediated
Explanation: A complete inventory of contaminated sites in all communities does not exist. DEP working with the municipalities must generate inventory data and identify potential sites for clean-up and reuse. Discussion: The purpose of this benchmark is to determine if areas with a greater concentration of low income and minority groups experience a disproportionate share of risks from environmental pollution as measured by the degree of contamination present in these areas and the progress in remediating such contamination in comparison to other areas. Data Sources: DEP -- Inventory of sites contaminated by hazardous materials.

2b. Percentage of state park and recreational facilities accessible to urban residents by public transportation
Explanation: The eventual target of 30% of the state park system serviced by public transportation reflects the number of recreation sites that are within a reasonable travel distance using bus or rail. Discussion: This benchmark will determine the degree to which public transportation is providing urban residents access to facilities. Since most state park facilities are natural resource-based, the experience of visiting these sites cannot be duplicated in an urban setting. A significant portion of urban residents do not have private transportation and therefore require some form of public transportation to be able to take advantage of recreational opportunities beyond the urban limits. A financial subsidy to existing transit districts is the most cost-effective means of providing the transportation component. Data Sources: DOT and DEP -- Analyses of public transportation data.

2c. Number of cities linked by greenways to large state or private open space
Explanation: This benchmark will determine progress made in Connecticut to provide urban areas with open space linkage to larger state and private open space lands and recreation facilities. Private open space is defined as land under ownership of organizations that are committed to the preservation of open space and that permit public use of their land. Discussion: A Governor appointed Greenway Committee is currently developing recommendations for a greenway policy for Connecticut. They have defined a greenway as "a corridor of open space that may protect natural resources, preserve scenic landscapes and historical resources, offer recreational opportunities, and provide a place for people to walk, bicycle and move from place to place. In our cities and suburbs, greenways can encompass both natural and man-made features, and they are ways for communities to create convenient access to local attractions, fresh air, and green lands. Data Sources: Council on Environmental Quaity/Catalog of Greenway Projects.

2d. Percentage of public recreation programs and facilities in compliance with the American Disabilities Act standards
Explanation: Targets represent the percentage of structural and recreational areas that have been retrofitted to conform to accessibility guidelines for recreation areas as set forth in the individual Structural Transition Plans and Recreational Area Transition Plans for each area using the Title II Action Plan as a guide. Federally legislated targets state that accessibility changes be made by July 26, 1995. Such a stringent, unfunded mandate is beyond reality. Discussion: This benchmark will determine the progress that the state is making in providing persons under the American Disabilities Act with equal access to environmental benefits in Connecticut. Data Sources: DEP Field Services & Boating Divisions.

3. Connecticut's urban areas will be revitalized and new growth will be concentrated in compact rural villages and places where infrastructure can be provided consistent with the Conservation and Development Policies Plan 1992-1997.

3a. Cumulative number of urban sites remediated and re-used of a total identified inventory
Explanation: The initial focus will be on the percentage of contaminated commercial and industrial sites in urban areas that have successfully implement site remediation and that have at least 50% of this area returned to productive use. Discussion: While an inventory of contaminated sites in each community does not exist, the state site remediation program has identified a number of polluted urban properties that are determined by DED to have a high economic development potential. Progress in remediation of these high economic development potential sites serves as an interim benchmark while a more complete inventory is being developed be DEP. Ultimately this benchmark will determine the progress in revitalizing existing commercial and industrial sites in urban areas that have been avoided for new economic development because of their environmental clean-up liability. Data Sources: None

3b. Percent of development occurring within designated growth areas
Explanation: This benchmark will determine the extent to which growth, as measured in new housing units and possibly in new commercial and industrial square footage, is consistent with the Conservation and Development Policies Plan's strategies to direct much of the new growth to areas that are defined as suitable for urban development or are a designated rural community center. Discussion: Land use impacts the natural environment in numerous ways and has fundamental implications for infrastructure needs and service costs. Low density suburban and rural development have occurred in CT over the past several decades bringing adverse environmental impacts and costly public expenditures. Implementation of this benchmark is depended upon digital mapping of the Conservation and Development Policies Plan and is depended upon digital mapping of all municipal property records in association with periodic statewide property assessments. It is not anticipated that the latter database will become availale before 1999. Data Sources: OPM -- Connecticut Map Project

3c. Number of new structures developed in areas of environmental concern: e.g., water supply watershed; aquifer protection area; inland and tidal wetlands; active farmland; 100 year flood and natural areas
Explanation: This benchmark will measure, in acres, the rate that selective environmental areas are being converted to developed land uses. Discussion: For specific time periods, such as the time between statewide property reassessments, the amount of new development occurring in environmentally sensitive areas will be measured. This incremental growth is an indicator of the rate of loss of sensitive lands and an indicator of the cumulative adverse impacts occurring on such lands. The CT Map Project is expected to convert all municipal land records to digital form for use in association with periodic statewide property assessments. It is not anticipated that the database will become available before 1999. Data Sources: DEP -- various digitized natural resource databases and OPM -- Connecticut Map Project

3d. Percentage of wastewater facilities constructed based on the current twenty year assessment of needs
Explanation: DEP assesses wastewater facilities that are needed to achieve water quality standards. In addition, in order to insure growth opportunities, when a municipality reaches 90% of its design capacity or when a facility reaches its design life, the municipality is ordered to initiate facility planning to assess future flow needs. The use of 90% figure allows time for municipalities to implement expanded capacity, if necessary, prior to reaching full capacity and having limitations placed on new sewer connections. Presently, 45 wastewater treatment facilities require treatment upgrades or capacity expansion. An additional 29 facilities are anticipated to require expansions or upgrades in the next 20 years. Discussion: These assessments provide a measure of wastewater infrastructure needs of the state from an environmental and economic growth perspective and represents a substantial commitment of public funding. Data Sources: DEP -- Wastewater Facility Needs Reporting

3e. Additional drinking water treatment facilities that are required by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (million gallons per day of needed expansion or upgraded treatment). Explanation: The benchmark is an estimation, measured in millions of gallons per day (MGD), of treatment plants that must have increased capacity or improved levels of treatment in order to meet the requirements of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Historical data and target are based upon utility cost estimates provided to DPHAS. Costs were converted to MGD. Discussion: This benchmark is being use to measure the adequacy of the state's public water supply infrastructure to serve the development and growth needs of Connecticut. Because of the lack of data which measures the various aspects of the public water supply infrastructure, this benchmark uses only new filtration plant capacity and upgraded filtration plant treatment needs as a measure of the overall adequacy of this infrastructure. Data Sources: DPHAS survey of water utilities

3f. Vehicle miles traveled per year in Connecticut
Explanation: Targets were developed by CONN DOT using traffic forecasting models. VMT growth in the next 20 years is estimated to be considerably less than growth over the past 20 years; a 26% increase in the future versus a 60% increase in the past 20 years. Discussion: Vehicle miles traveled are calculated by Connecticut DOT to monitor the growth in traffic and for use in analysis to determine compliance with air quality related environmental requirements. If these targets are exceeded additional, offsetting air quality reductions will be needed to attain clean air goals. Similarly, transportation service will declined below planned levels without offsetting capacity expansion or increased ridesharing. Data Sources: CONN DOT traffic forecasting model.

3g. Number of municipalities utilizing a street tree inventory as a base for a program of urban Forest Management
Explanation: Targets are based upon the number of municipalities that DEP is likely to be able to provide a grant for an inventory program. Most communities can not afford to undertake an inventory without financial assistance. Approximately 2-3 communities each year request a grant from the Division of Forestry to underwrite an inventory program. It is expected that most rural communities will not participate. Discussion: Tracking the number of municipalities with street tree inventories is a measure of how well the Division is reaching and motivating local decision makers to treat urban forest resources appropriately. Data Sources: Connecticut Urban Forest Council