Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

News Releases - 2023

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  • 10/23/2023 DEEP Announces 46 Recipients of 2023 Volunteer Fire Assistance VFA Grants

    (HARTFORD) — The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced that forty-six local volunteer fire departments are receiving 2023 Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grants which will be used to train personnel and purchase equipment aimed at improving their firefighting capabilities. These funds are provided through a federal program to support fire departments in towns with a population of less than 10,000 people.

  • 5/9/2023 DEEP Announces $570,000 in Additional Sustainable Materials Management Grants to Help Municipalities Reduce Waste and Save on Solid Waste Disposal Costs

    (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today three additional towns and one expanded pilot program have been approved to receive over $570,000 in grant funds through the Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Grant program. Bethel, Bethlehem, Middlebury, and Kent will be joining 15 other municipalities, including Newtown, to implement innovative pilot programs to collect residential food scraps and reduce trash.

  • 10/17/2023 DEEP Advises Motorists to Watch for Moose

    (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is urging motorists to exercise caution as a moose was spotted earlier this evening near exit 40 off Interstate 91 South in Windsor Locks.

  • 5/26/2023 Governor Lamont Announces Summer Season Kicks off at Connecticut State Parks This Memorial Day Weekend

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes today kicked off the beginning of the busy Connecticut State Parks summer season during a visit to Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison.

  • 10/18/2023 State Environmental Conservation Police Arrest Griswold Man for Armed Robbery

    (HARTFORD) — On October 13, 2023, at approximately 2:00 p.m. the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) State Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police took Davontae Fontaine, 21, of 133 Mathewson Street, Griswold, into custody at Troop E in Montville on an arrest warrant. The warrant stems from a lengthy investigation that started on May 17, 2023.

  • 3/30/2023 Nomination Process for New Connecticut Greenways Now Open

    (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) and the Connecticut Greenways Council today announced that they are now soliciting nominations for official state greenway designations.

  • 9/29/2023 DEEP Encourages Continued Bear Awareness During Fall: Bears Increase Food Intake and Are More Active

    (HARTFORD, CT) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is reminding residents to follow best practices to reduce the likelihood of an encounter with a bear this fall, as bears’ quest for more food before the winter makes them very active for the next few months. During the fall season, black bears increase their food intake to add fat reserves needed to help them survive winter.

  • 9/29/2023 Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Worthington Industries Celebrate Results of Cylinder Recycling Pilot Program; Announce Second Location for 2024

    (HARTFORD) — They came. They camped. And for the first time as part of an organized program, they recycled pressurized gas cylinders. As the 2023 camping season winds down, Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Worthington Industries announced today the successful collection and recycling of nearly 2,000 one-pound propane camping cylinders at Hammonasset Beach State Park Campground (Hammonasset) in Madison, Connecticut. Worthington Industries is a leading U.S.-based cylinder manufacturer and spearheaded the development, implementation, and management of the season-long pilot program.

  • 12/4/2023 DEEP Announces Free Swimming Lesson Program in Partnership with Connecticut Institute For Communities of Danbury

    (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumble joined local and state elected officials and the Connecticut Institute For Communities (CIFC) leaders at the Danbury Community Center (DCC) today to announce $128,000 to fund free swimming lessons to qualifying children. The partnership with the CIFC will enable children ages 17 and under to receive free swim lessons at the DCC pool.

  • 7/18/2023 DEEP Forecasts PM2.5 Levels Today will be “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” for Northwest Connecticut from Canadian Wildfire Smoke

    (HARTFORD) — Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is expecting smoke from wildfires over Quebec to elevate fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels today, July 18 through July 19. These levels are expected to reach Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) levels for northwest Connecticut on July 18 with elevated PM2.5 levels statewide on the morning of July 19. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) also is issuing guidance and information on protective measures.

  • 6/30/2023 DEEP Forecasts Unhealthy Levels of PM2.5 Friday for the Entire State from Canadian Wildfire Smoke; DPH Shares Health Effects Information and Suggests Protective Measures

    (HARTFORD)—Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is expecting smoke from wildfires over Quebec to elevate fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels on Friday, June 30th. These levels are expected to exceed Unhealthy levels for the entire state. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) also is issuing guidance for those residents in the USG category.

  • 6/29/2023 DEEP Announces $1.6 Million in Beverage Container Recycling Grant Awards in Urban Centers and Environmental Justice Communities

    (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is pleased to announce the first round of grant awards for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant program. The grant program supports the establishment and expansion of beverage container redemption centers in urban centers and environmental justice communities.

  • 6/28/2023 DEEP Launches States First Electric Bike Voucher Program

    (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today the launch of the State’s first electric bicycle (eBike) voucher program, helping to offer residents a different clean transportation option, with increased incentives for low- and moderate-income individuals and those who live in distressed or environmental justice (EJ) communities.

  • 3/7/2023 DEEP Announces Two Clean Energy Procurements

    (HARTFORD) -- The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today its intention to conduct two new procurements for grid-scale zero-carbon energy resources this year as the state continues making progress on Governor Lamont’s Energy Action Plan to improve energy affordability and reliability and achieve state statutory mandates for greenhouse gas emissions reduction of at least 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050 and a 100 percent zero carbon electric sector by 2040.

  • 9/28/2023 DEEP Mosquito Management Program to Spray for Mosquitoes Carrying EEE in Mt. Misery Area of Pachaug State Forest

    (HARTFORD) — While the end of mosquito season is approaching, and there have been no cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in humans so far this season, the risk-level in the eastern part of the state for EEE virus remains elevated. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s Mosquito Management Program will be conducting spraying today in an area of Eastern Connecticut where mosquitoes containing EEE have continued to be detected at high levels, part of steps the program takes to minimize the potential for spread of the virus to humans.