News Releases

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• 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.

• 4/30/2025 DEEP Reminds Boaters About New Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp Purchasing Requirement

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) today reminds those who operate a motorboat or personal watercraft on Connecticut’s inland waters that they are now required to purchase an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Stamp through DEEP’s online Sportsmen Licensing System or wherever fishing licenses are sold.

• 3/21/2025 DEEP Announces its 2025 Sky’s the Limit Hiking and Walking Challenge: “Cross Your Trees and Dot Your Skies”

  (HARTFORD) — Does hiking, walking, and immersing yourself in the sights, sounds, and fresh air of the spring season sound like something you would like to do with friends, family, four-legged friend(s), and co-workers? If so, it's time to take on the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) 2025 Sky’s the Limit Hiking and Walking Challenge!

• 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.

• 5/7/2025 DEEP Celebrates National Air Quality Awareness Week May 5-9

  (HARTFORD)—To mark National Air Quality Awareness week, which runs May 5-9, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) encourages the public to stay aware of the air quality around you, learn how to protect yourself on poor air quality days, and consider actions you can take to improve your local air quality.

• 4/23/2025 DEEP Asks Residents to Continue to Exercise Caution During Spring Brush Fire Season

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is again advising Connecticut residents to take precautions to help minimize the likelihood of a fire. Spring fire season is underway; DEEP received reports of 40 wildfires from April 14 to April 21 alone, totaling approximately 300 acres. Most fires can be prevented because they are caused by human actions.

• 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.

• 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.

• 6/13/2025 DEEP Announces Grant Recipients and New Funding Opportunity for Urban and Community Forestry

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today recipients of 2025 Urban and Community Forestry Planning and Urban Forested Natural Areas and Riparian Corridor Restoration grants. Over $184,000 will be granted to support 11 urban and community forestry projects in Bloomfield, Ellington, Mansfield, New London, North Stonington, Old Saybrook, Ridgefield, Stamford, and Stratford.

• 1/21/2025 DEEP Launches Matching Funds for Community Resilience Projects as Part of Its Climate Resilience Fund

  (HARTFORD, CT) —The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for a new matching funds grant program to support Connecticut communities pursuing funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. DEEP's new matching grants program is a component of the DEEP Climate Resilience Fund, which helps communities to invest in projects needed to address vulnerabilities to extreme weather and reduce impacts to critical infrastructure.

• 5/8/2025 ADVISORY: DEEP Kicks-Off the 20th Anniversary of the No Child Left Inside® Families in the Parks Program With Free Family Fishing Day May 10th

  (HARTFORD) –The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is pleased to announce that the 20th Anniversary of the No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Families in the Parks Program will begin on Saturday, May 10, 2025, with Free Family Fishing Day!

• 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.

• 4/17/2025 Governor Lamont Announces $7.5 Million Now Available To Support Municipalities With Sustainable Waste Reduction

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that $7.5 million in state funding is now available to support Connecticut’s municipalities in their efforts to increase recycling and diversion and augment their self-sufficiency in managing municipal solid waste disposal.

• 4/11/2025 DEEP Invites You to Celebrate Spring Fishing Day on Saturday April 12

  (HARTFORD) — Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) invites all residents and their families to celebrate Spring Fishing Day this Saturday, April 12. Every spring, the second Saturday in April is the start of the “catch and keep” season for trout. Starting at 6:00 a.m. on April 12, anglers are allowed to keep the trout they catch, though the permissible numbers and size of fish that can be kept varies by waterbody. While trout fishing is open year-round, it is “catch and release” fishing only from March 1 until 6:00 a.m. on April 12 on most waterways in the state (the exceptions are Trout Management Lakes, Sea-Run Trout Streams, and waters designated as “Tidal Waters and Tributaries”).

• 7/25/2025 Reserve Your Seat With New DEEP & CTDOT ParkConneCT Excursions Program

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) are pleased to announce a new focus for the collaborative ParkConneCT program. This program will now offer free bus transportation for special excursion trips to four designated events, including three popular No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) events during this summer season. These hands-on, guided excursions will use motorcoach buses that are ADA accessible and air-conditioned to provide convenient and comfortable transportation to pre-scheduled park activities and events. The new special excursion format replaces the special summer bus service to select parks offered in past years.