Republican lawmakers are proposing a constitutional amendment that would make it harder for the state to give away open space. The measure comes at a time when officials say Connecticut won't meet its goals for land conservation.
The state has set an ambitious target: 21 percent of land -- about the size of Litchfield County -- that needs to be conserved as open space by 2023.
Last month, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection told WNPR it won't meet that goal.
"We hear that the 21 percent open space goal might not be reachable by some of those who hold the purse strings," said David Leff, a former deputy commissioner at the DEEP. "That makes the constitutional amendment, protecting what we have -- even more important."
The amendment would require a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate before the state could sell any open space. It would also require any sale be hashed out in a separate bill -- and any money received would be earmarked for the purchase of similar land used for open space.
Senator Kevin Witkos, who announced the idea, said he hopes it will increase land-sale transparency.
The proposal will be up for debate when the state's legislative session kicks off next month.
