Becoming an Intervener

Besides attending an agency's regular meeting or participating in a public hearing, you may intervene in the municipal inland wetlands agency's proceedings pursuant to section 22a-19 of the Connecticut General Statutes. This statute allows any person to intervene as a party in any administrative proceeding by filing a verified pleading that claims the proposal or proceeding "…involves conduct which has, or is reasonably likely to have, the effect of unreasonably polluting, impairing or destroying the public trust in the air, water or other natural resources of the state." 

A verified pleading is an acknowledged written statement signed by the intervener and for purposes of inland wetlands and watercourses jurisdiction, should focus on such resources. Since the intervener becomes a party to the proceeding, this allows the person to fully participate in the application review process conducted during both a regular meeting of the inland wetlands agency and an agency public hearing. That means an intervener can speak at a regular meeting and question the applicants as well as present their own experts outside of the public hearing format.