Page 27

Substitute House Bill No. 6733

Public Act No. 23-31 27 of 74

II land to another water company, to a state agency or to a municipality, (2) the sale of class II land or the sale or assignment of a conservation restriction or a public access easement on class I or class II land to a private, nonprofit land-holding conservation organization, or (3) the sale of class I land to a private nonprofit land-holding conservation organization if the water company is denied a permit to abandon a source not in current use or needed by the water company pursuant to subsection (c) of section 25-33k, if the purchasing entity agrees to maintain the land subject to the provisions of this section, any regulations adopted pursuant to this section and the terms of any permit issued pursuant to this section. Such purchasing entity or assignee may not sell, lease or assign any such land or conservation restriction or public access easement or sell, lease, assign or change the use of such land without obtaining a permit pursuant to this section. (e) The commissioner shall not grant a permit for the sale, lease, assignment or change in use of any land in class II unless (1) use restrictions applicable to such land will prevent the land from being developed, (2) the applicant demonstrates that the proposed sale, lease, assignment or change in use will not have a significant adverse impact upon the purity and adequacy of the public drinking water supply and that any use restrictions which the commissioner requires as a condition of granting a permit can be enforced against subsequent owners, lessees and assignees, (3) the commissioner determines, after giving effect to any use restrictions which may be required as a condition of granting the permit, that such proposed sale, lease, assignment or change in use will not have a significant adverse effect on the public drinking water supply, whether or not similar permits have been granted, and (4) on or after January 1, 2003, as a condition to the sale, lease or assignment of any class II lands, a permanent conservation easement on the land is entered into to preserve the land in perpetuity predominantly in its natural scenic and open condition for the protection of natural resources and public water supplies while allowing for recreation consistent with