Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

News Releases - 2024

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  • 7/2/2024 DEEP Announces Operation Dry Water 2024

    (HARTFORD) - With boating under the influence continuing to be a major factor in incidents and deaths on our nation’s waterways, officers from local, state, and federal agencies will once again team up for Operation Dry Water, a national campaign to raise awareness of and enforce laws against boating under the influence.

  • 9/25/2024 DEEP Seeks Input on Expanded DEEP Climate Resilience Funding and Loan Initiatives to Help Connecticut Communities Become More Climate Resilient

    (HARTFORD, CT) — Today, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced the strategic expansion of the successful DEEP Climate Resilience Fund (DCRF) program to better enable communities to access federal funding for climate resilience. This upcoming investment of state funds will help towns, Councils of Government, and other stakeholders pursue project planning, and in some cases construction, allowing them to tap into the billions of federal dollars available to improve local resilience. As Connecticut experiences mounting costs from severe weather events, securing federal funding for proactive climate resilience planning and investment is critical to getting more projects built and keeping communities safe. DEEP is seeking feedback on a new framework for the DEEP Climate Resilience Fund, including from municipalities, Councils of Government, tribes, electric distribution companies, academic partners, private entities, and non-profit organizations. DEEP made this new future grant round announcement as part of a tour of the Meriden Green resilience project, a 14-acre flood control project using nature-based solutions located in downtown Meriden. The announcement was part of the State’s Sustainability and Resiliency Week.

  • 1/12/2024 Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Awarded $14.6 Million Federal Grant To Expand Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Seven Communities

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection with a $14.6 million grant through its Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program to expand Connecticut’s network of electric vehicle charging stations. The program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

  • 7/16/2024 DEEP Forecasts Elevated Levels of Ozone for July 16 - 17

    (HARTFORD) — Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is expecting temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s (˚F) beginning today, with high temperatures persisting into Wednesday. The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for the entire State through Wednesday. These hot temperatures will contribute to elevated ozone levels for western Connecticut on Tuesday and continuing along the coast on Wednesday. These levels may approach or exceed Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) levels for these parts of Connecticut.

  • 9/19/2024 DEEP Urges Residents to Take Steps to Avoid Conflicts With Bears This Fall

    (HARTFORD, CT) —The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is strongly urging residents to follow best practices to reduce the likelihood of a conflict with a black bear this fall. So far, 2024 has featured a record high of 68 documented home entries by bears, as well as a bear that bit a resident in Cheshire in July. Conflicts with bears have tripled in recent years in Connecticut and bears have been observed in all of the state’s 169 cities and towns. Given the already high rate of human-bear conflicts in 2024, DEEP is urging residents to practice vigilance as we enter a time of year when bears are particularly active as they increase feeding ahead of the winter denning season.

  • 7/12/2024 DEEP Announces Notice of Availability of FY 2024 Funding Opportunity for Boating Infrastructure Grants

    (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is pleased to announce the release of a request for proposal for the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program. This competitive federal funding opportunity is offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the Department of the Interior (DOI). DEEP will review and select qualifying state projects from the pool of submissions to recommend for funding, which will then be submitted to the USFWS for final approval.

  • 10/29/2024 DEEP Launches Expanded Home Electric Efficiency and Affordability Procurement Draft Request for Proposals

    (HARTFORD, CT) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today the launch of an Expanded Home Electric Efficiency and Affordability draft request for proposals (RFP) to deliver expanded electricity bill savings to residential customers of Eversource and United Illuminating. This RFP process will build on Connecticut’s existing, highly successful utility-run energy efficiency programs, which deliver hundreds of dollars in energy bill savings each year to thousands of participating households. DEEP is soliciting competitive proposals from companies, including electric utilities and other private entities, for cost-saving household electric energy efficiency measures. Among the types of responses DEEP is soliciting are performance contracting approaches that reduce the upfront costs of installing energy efficiency and lower monthly energy bills, while also providing additional opportunities for Connecticut’s energy efficiency workforce.

  • 6/6/2024 GreenerGov CT Awards Honor State Government Leadership in Sustainability Efforts

    (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM), and the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) proudly hosted the annual GreenerGov Awards Ceremony today. This event celebrated the exceptional work taken on by agency staff to reduce their agencies’ environmental impact and advance Connecticut’s climate and sustainability goals.

  • 9/17/2024 DEEP Launches Second Round of Electric Bike Voucher Program

    (HARTFORD) — Today, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced that the second round of the State’s successful electric bicycle (eBike) voucher program will open for applications at 12 p.m. today, on September 17. This program offers residents an alternative clean transportation option, with increased incentives for low-to-moderate income individuals and those who live in environmental justice (EJ) communities. DEEP held an event in Bushnell Park in Hartford yesterday with local and state officials, and eBike advocates and retailers to celebrate the launch of the second round of the program.

  • 8/8/2024 12th Annual Saltwater Fishing Day Happening August 10th

    (HARTFORD, CT)- The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s No Child Left Inside ® program, in partnership with DEEP’s Fish with CARE program, is hosting the 12th annual Saltwater Fishing Day on August 10th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on the fishing pier at Fort Trumbull State Park in New London.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 2/26/2024 CT Environmental Conservation Police Make Arrest In Alleged Sexual Assault Case

    The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced this morning that Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon) officers have arrested an Old Saybrook man on charges of sexual assault following an investigation.

  • 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: