News Releases

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• 8/9/2024 DEEP Announces Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew's Return from Oregon Deployment

  (HARTFORD)— The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is thrilled to announce the safe return of the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew (CIFC) following their recent deployment to Washington and Oregon. The CIFC members who deployed include 15 people from Connecticut, among them six full-time DEEP staff members. The remainder of the crew was composed of individuals from Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

• 7/18/2024 Governor Lamont Announces Key Milestone on Path to Unlocking $139 Million in Federal Funding for Broadband in Connecticut

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Commissioner Katie Dykes today announced that the State of Connecticut will soon begin a grant application process for approximately $139 million in funding awarded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) under the Broadband, Equity, Access & Deployment program (BEAD) and administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

• 12/27/2024 Connecticut Celebrates the New Year with First Day Hikes on Jan 1

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and its partners are encouraging folks to get outside on New Year’s Day. Walk, hike, and enjoy nature safely on January 1st by joining the many volunteers from the State Park Friends' groups as Connecticut celebrates First Day Hikes, a nationwide initiative to get outdoors.

• 2/21/2024 DEEP Reminds Residents of Best Wood-Burning Practices

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is reminding residents how to safely limit exposure to smoke when burning wood to heat homes. Residents should protect their health and that of their family, friends, and neighbors by employing “best burn” practices. Properly burning the correct type of wood limits exposure to wood smoke, which is a hazardous air pollutant.

• 9/5/2024 DEEP Conducting Community Engagement to Promote Nearly $3M in Funding for Increased Urban Tree Cover

  (HARTFORD)- The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that starting this week, in partnership with UConn, DEEP is hosting a series of community and stakeholder workshops through November intended to increase access to historic funding opportunities for urban forestry.

• 7/23/2024 Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Receives Federal Grant To Accelerate Adoption of Affordable Electric Heat Pumps

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation today announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding a coalition of states known as the New England Heat Pump Accelerator Coalition – which includes Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island – with a $450 million grant through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program to accelerate adoption of affordable electric heat pumps throughout the region.

• 7/26/2024 MEDIA ADVISORY DEEP to Hold Public Meeting on Draft Connecticut Clean Hydrogen Roadmap

• 9/18/2024 DEEP Announces $485,000 in State Remediation Grants

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced the release of $485,000 in state grant dollars to support the assessment and remediation of blighted properties across four Connecticut municipalities, and announced the opening of the next round of funding under this program. The grants announced today, part of the first round of a new DEEP grant program, will fund projects spanning more than 133 acres of land, with the goal of revitalizing brownfield sites into public spaces and other beneficial uses.

• 3/19/2024 Governor Lamont Announces Availability of 41 Million To Expand Broadband in Connecticut

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of Connecticut is making nearly $41 million available to fund projects that expand broadband infrastructure and improve internet connectivity in the state.

• 12/17/2024 DEEP EnCon Police Make Arrests Following Search of Wild Game Taxidermy Business

  (HARTFORD)--The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today the arrest of two individuals related to an ongoing investigation of a wild game and deer processing facility in Beacon Falls.

• 8/9/2024 DEEP Releases First 20BY26 Progress Report

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Today, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released the first report on the progress of DEEP’s 20BY26 initiative. This initiative, launched in February, builds on the foundation of DEEP’s highly successful 20BY20 initiative by setting 20 new targets to meet by the end of 2026 to make DEEP’s processes even more predictable, transparent, and efficient. These ongoing improvements will, in turn, benefit our state’s municipalities, businesses, other regulated entities, and residents.

• 10/24/2024 DEEP Provides Update on Wildfire Response

  (Hartford, CT) - The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), along with many local fire departments, and state and out-of-state resources, continues to respond to several wildfires across the state, including in Berlin, Canaan, Vernon, and Weston.

• 8/15/2024 DEEP Reissues Alcohol Ban for Seven State Recreation Areas

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has reissued a temporary alcohol ban for seven state recreation areas. This ban is in effect from Tuesday, August 13, 2024, through Sunday, November 10, 2024, at the following locations:

• 10/11/2024 Governor Lamont Announces $28 Million To Increase Broadband Access in 88 Towns and Cities

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes today announced the release of $28 million in grants awarded under the first round of the state’s ConneCTed Communities Grant Program.

• 7/9/2024 DEEP Announces FY 2024/25 Clean Water Fund Priority List to Enhance Water Quality and Infrastructure Resilience

  (HARTFORD) - Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes has announced the FY 2024/25 Clean Water Fund Priority list. With this announcement, the State of Connecticut is continuing its strong investment in construction-ready municipal water pollution control projects that will protect the state’s waters from sewage pollution and help improve water quality.