News Releases

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• 10/1/2019 Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force Releases Draft PFAS Action Plan for Public Comment

  Commissioner Katie S. Dykes of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Commissioner Renée Coleman-Mitchell of the Department of Public Health (DPH), co-chairs of the Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force, announce the release today of the Task Force’s Draft PFAS Action Plan.

• 10/17/2019 DPH Continues Fish Consumption Advisory on Lower Farmington River Downstream from Rainbow Dam Based on Validated Data from the June 8 AFFF Spill

  The Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) have received validated test results of fish tissue samples taken in July from the lower Farmington River that confirm the presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) at levels higher than considered safe for human consumption.

• 10/4/2019 DEEP Announces Opening Days of Upcoming Fall Firearms Hunting Seasons

  Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced the opening days of turkey and small game hunting seasons.

• 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.

• 9/30/2024 DEEP To Host Public Workshop October 17 on Passive Park Concept for Seaside State Park

  (HARTFORD)--The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will host a public workshop to inform the design of the Passive Park Concept for Seaside State Park in Waterford. The public workshop will be held in the Auditorium at the Waterford Town Hall on Thursday, October 17, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This workshop is the culmination of a public outreach initiative to inform the Passive Park Concept, which has included various stakeholder meetings and a public survey. After the public workshop, the architectural engineering firm DEEP contracted for the project will use the information and ideas gathered through the outreach and planning process to prepare a design for the Passive Park Concept at Seaside State Park.

• 3/25/2024 Governor Lamont and Commissioner Dykes on Biden Administration’s Announcement Regarding Expanded Offshore Wind Tax Credits

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes released the following statements regarding today’s announcement from the Biden administration on the expansion of tax incentives to support and stimulate more offshore wind projects:

• 7/5/2024 DEEP Reminds Beach Visitors to “Fish, Swim, and Play Far Away” from Bird Nesting Areas

  (Hartford, CT) - As beach season enters its peak, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) asks the public to help protect birds that nest in coastal areas by staying away from places where large concentrations of birds gather and areas that are roped off or marked with signs designating nesting locations. State law prohibits entering state-designated seabird and shorebird protection areas and requires pets, cyclists, and vehicles to remain at least 25 feet away.

• 10/7/2019 Governor’s Greenways Council Presents its 4th CT Trails Symposium

  The Governor’s Greenways Council, in partnership with Goodwin College, is hosting the fourth Connecticut Trails Symposium for local officials, property owners, managers and volunteers on Thursday, Oct. 24 at the college’s East Hartford Campus.

• 10/7/2019 First Progress Report and Last Four Goals of the 20BY20 Initiative Unveiled

  Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released the first quarterly report of the 20BY20 initiative, a set of 20 short-term high-impact agency goals aimed at providing greater predictability, efficiency, and transparency for environmental permitting and regulatory processes to be achieved by the end of 2020.

• 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.

• 6/21/2024 Lt. Governor, DEEP and DAS Commissioners, Cut Ribbon on New DEEP Western District Headquarters, the First Net Zero Executive Branch State Building

  (HARTFORD)--Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz today joined Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes and Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Commissioner Michelle Gilman for a ribbon-cutting and tour of DEEP’s new Western District Headquarters in Watertown. The new headquarters is the first net zero executive branch state building.

• 6/3/2024 Governor Lamont Announces $10 Million in State Grants for Recreational Trails Across Connecticut

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes today announced the release of a series of grants totaling $10 million that will support the planning, building, expansion, and improvement of 45 multi-use trails located in towns and cities throughout Connecticut.