News Releases

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• 5/16/2025 Visitors to Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield Can Purchase Advance Parking Reservations for Weekends and Holidays

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) once again will offer an online reservation system for parking at Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield. Parking passes for holidays and weekends may be purchased up to 14 days prior to arrival to help improve the experience for visitors and reduce traffic congestion near the park.

• 4/28/2025 DEEP EnCon Police Make Arrest in Fatal May 2024 Candlewood Lake Boating Incident

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that DEEP’s Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police arrested Robert McDonald, 23, of Flushing, New York, for a fatal boating incident that took place on Candlewood Lake on May 29th, 2024.

• 5/8/2025 Visitors May Now Reserve All-Terrain Wheelchairs to Enjoy the Outdoors at Seven Connecticut State Parks

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is excited to announce the expansion of its All-Terrain Wheelchair Program to seven Connecticut State Park and Forest locations. Five locations were available beginning last fall and starting today, users can make reservations online to use the all-terrain wheelchairs for free beginning June 7 at a total of seven locations.

• 5/14/2025 DEEP Launches New Online Tool to Assist Solar Siting

  (HARTFORD)— The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that it has launched a new online tool that will enable a more transparent and efficient siting and permitting process for large-scale renewable energy projects, while at the same time protecting Connecticut’s environmental and natural resources.

• 5/15/2025 DEEP Celebrates National Safe Boating Week

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) joins partners across the country to remind boaters of the importance of safe and responsible boating during National Safe Boating Week. The seven-day campaign will occur May 17 to May 23, the week preceding Memorial Day weekend, which is the unofficial kickoff to the summer boating season in Connecticut.

• 8/6/2025 MEDIA ADVISORY: DEEP Fish with CARE and No Child Left Inside® Offer a FREE Saltwater Fishing Day on Saturday, August 9

  ParkConneCT Program to Provide Free Bus Transportation from Norwich for a Limited Number of Pre-Registered Guests

• 4/8/2025 ADVISORY-DEEP Lowers Caution Issued for CT River Users Following East Windsor Sewer Line Repair

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is updating its advisory related to the sanitary sewer break that occurred in East Windsor.

• 1/9/2025 DEEP Announces over $1 million in Federal Grant Funds Available for Clean Vehicle and Marine Projects

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced the availability of more than $1 million in federal funds for grants to local and state governments, as well as businesses and organizations who want to replace large, older diesel engines and equipment with electric vehicle equivalents or newer, cleaner-burning engines.

• 1/16/2025 DEEP Launches 2025 Seasonal Staff Recruitment

  (HARTFORD) — Looking for a fun seasonal job this year? Apply to one of the hundreds of exciting seasonal opportunities at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)! These opportunities typically combine spending time outdoors, conserving and providing access to the state’s most beautiful natural areas, and serving as an introduction to potential careers at DEEP or other environmental fields. Compensation ranges from $16.35 to $20.00 per hour for most positions and starts at $20.00 per hour for lifeguards.

• 4/22/2025 Governor Lamont Announces $10 Million in Grants Awarded for Continued Broadband Expansion

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today the second round of awards in the state’s ConneCTed Communities Grant Program. Totaling $9.9 million, these funds will be used by internet service providers to build out broadband infrastructure, which will serve an estimated 3,802 residences and businesses in 44 towns and cities.

• 1/28/2025 DEEP Now Accepting Applications for $144M in Broadband Infrastructure Funding

  (HARTFORD, CT)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that it is now accepting applications from pre-qualified providers for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. This major milestone is another key step in the process of bringing affordable access to broadband internet to Connecticut residents, and reflects an enormous effort and coordination across multiple state and federal agencies.

• 1/15/2025 DEEP Announces Request for Qualifications for Community Resource Hubs

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking proposals from qualified organizations to serve as DEEP Community Resource Hubs (Hubs) in environmental justice communities in Connecticut. The purpose of the Community Resource Hubs will be to better connect Connecticut residents in environmental justice communities, including economically distressed communities, with DEEP services and programs that can benefit residents and their communities.

• 2/4/2025 Release-Based Cleanup Plan Poised to Transform Connecticut’s Blighted Properties and Spur Economic Growth

  Today, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes, and Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Commissioner Dan O’Keefe announced that the release-based cleanup regulations (RBCRs) have been submitted to the Connecticut General Assembly for review and approval. These regulations will streamline the remediation and redevelopment of blighted properties impacted by releases. Approval by the General Assembly’s Legislative Regulation Review Committee (LRRC) is the final step in the regulatory adoption process.

• 5/30/2025 Connecticut Greenways Council to Hold 26th Annual Greenway Awards and Kick Off Connecticut Trails Day Events

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Greenways Council (CGC) will host its 26th Annual Connecticut Greenway Awards at Riverfront Recapture’s Boathouse in Hartford on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The event is traditionally held on the Friday before Connecticut Trails Day, which occurs the weekend of June 7 and 8, 2025.

• 3/18/2025 DEEP Announces More Than $1 Million in Clean Vessel Act Funding to 39 Marine Sewage Disposal Facilities to Help Keep Connecticut’s Waterways Clean in 2025

  (HARTFORD) — Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that 39 marine sewage disposal facilities, more commonly known as pumpouts, will receive $1,034,987 in funding under DEEP’s annual Federal Clean Vessel Act (CVA) program for the upcoming 2025 boating season. The funding is used to improve water quality in Connecticut’s navigable waterways by providing federally-funded matching grants for qualifying projects that provide pumpouts.