News Releases

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• 9/25/2023 New England States Issue Invitational Call for Innovative Project Design Concepts to Enhance Grid Resilience and Reliability

  (HARTFORD) — A coalition of New England states today jointly announced a call for project proposals to secure federal funding and advance regional collaboration on grid infrastructure. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Maine Governor’s Energy Office, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the New Hampshire Department of Energy, and the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (Participating States), with support from the Vermont Department of Public Service, issued an Invitational Call for Innovative Project Design Concepts to solicit proposals for an anticipated second round of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Innovation Program (GIP) funding.

• 9/1/2023 State Emergency Response Commission to Conduct Interagency Emergency Preparedness Training Exercise Sept. 7

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that several emergency preparedness and response agencies will gather on September 7 in Bridgeport and Fairfield to conduct a full-scale field training emergency preparedness exercise.

• 2/2/2023 DEEP Reminds Residents of “Best Burn” Practices to Limit Exposure to Air Pollution Caused by Residential Wood Smoke

  (HARTFORD, CT) – With the arrival of seasonable winter temperatures across Connecticut, many residents are burning wood as an economical option to heat their homes. Depending on the source of the wood, it can be a cost-effective alternative to using fossil fuels. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is urging residents to protect their health and that of their family, friends, and neighbors by employing “best burn” practices to limit exposure to wood smoke, which is a hazardous air pollutant.

• 6/5/2023 DEEP Applauds the Passage of Senate Bill 1148 by the General Assembly

  (HARTFORD) – Commissioner Dykes Statement on the Passage of SB 1148:

• 6/5/2023 DEEP Forecasts Elevated Levels of PM25 from Smoke Tonight and Tuesday

  (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 beginning after 9:00 pm on Monday, June 5th.. These levels are expected to exceed Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) levels for an extended period during the overnight period in Western Connecticut and covering the entire State by daybreak.

• 5/15/2023 DEEP Officially Launches the Residential Energy Preparation Services (REPS) Program to Address Barriers to Weatherization

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced the official launch of the Residential Energy Preparation Services (REPS) program, which will help income-eligible homes remove health hazards and access energy efficiency upgrades to save money on energy costs.

• 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.

• 10/23/2023 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.

• 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.