§ 15-1 — Harbor masters.

(a) The Governor shall appoint a harbor master, and may appoint a deputy harbor master, for each of the harbors of New Haven, Norwich, Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, Stonington, New London and Branford. The Governor may appoint a suitable number of harbor masters and deputy harbor masters in any town in this state which has navigable waters within its limits, provided the appointment of a harbor master or deputy harbor master for the harbor of any municipality which has adopted a harbor management plan, pursuant to chapter 444a, shall be made by the Governor from a list of not less than three nominees submitted by the municipality's harbor management commission, except that if a harbor management commission does not submit at least three nominees, the Governor may appoint as harbor master or deputy harbor master any of the nominees submitted by the harbor management commission or any other person the Governor deems qualified. Appointments shall be for terms of three years from July first in the year of the appointment and until a successor is appointed and qualified, except the term of office of any person appointed before or after July first in any year to a newly created office of harbor master or deputy harbor master shall begin on the day of the appointment and expire on July first next succeeding the completion of the person's third full year in office. Any appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the remainder of the term of the original appointee and until a successor is appointed and qualified. (b) Harbor masters shall have the general care and supervision of the harbors and navigable waterways over which they have jurisdiction, subject to the direction and control of the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, and shall be responsible to the commissioner for the safe and efficient operation of such harbors and navigable waterways in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The harbor masters or deputy harbor masters shall exercise their duties in a manner consistent with any harbor management plan adopted pursuant to section 22a-113m for a harbor over which they have jurisdiction. The commissioner may delegate any of his powers and duties under this chapter to such harbor masters or to any existing board of harbor commissioners, but shall at all times be vested with responsibility for the overall supervision of the harbors and navigable waterways of the state.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 4746; June, 1955, S. 2379d; 1969, P.A. 768, S. 155; P.A. 73-486; P.A. 74-199, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-38, S. 1, 3; P.A. 84-247, S. 11; P.A. 91-404; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 18; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 195.) History: 1969 act added provisions setting forth duties of commissioner of transportation and clarifying relationship between harbor masters and commissioner; P.A. 73-486 rewrote appointment provisions and included procedure for filling vacancies; P.A. 74-199 rewrote and clarified provisions re appointments and vacancies; P.A. 77-38 included navigable waterways in responsibilities of harbor masters and commissioner; P.A. 84-247 added provision requiring the harbor masters or their deputies to exercise their duties in a manner consistent with a harbor management plan; P.A. 91-404 added provision re appointment of certain harbor masters by the governor from a list submitted by a harbor management commission, deleting obsolete provision re persons appointed before October 1, 1973; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 replaced “Commissioner of Transportation” with “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2016; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 designated existing provisions as Subsecs. (a) and (b) and amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change and add provision authorizing Governor to appoint any nominee submitted or other person if the commission does not submit at least 3 nominees, effective July 1, 2021.