News Releases - 2020

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• 3/27/2020 Connecticut Single Use Plastic Bag Fee Temporarily Suspended

  In light of recent concerns raised by retail employees over potential exposure to the novel coronavirus by handling reusable shopping bags, Gov. Ned Lamont is temporarily suspending the state’s ten-cent fee on plastic bags, and allowing retail employees the opportunity to decline to bag for customers who bring in reusable bags.

• 4/22/2020 DEEP Launches Electric Vehicle Roadmap

  Coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has issued its Electric Vehicle Roadmap for Connecticut (EV Roadmap), a comprehensive strategy for achieving widespread deployment of electric vehicles in the state, and a key tool in the state’s effort to improve air quality for residents while also addressing the climate crisis.

• 4/17/2020 DEEP Launches Online Celebration of EarthDayEveryDay

  In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, DEEP is launching a digital campaign, #EarthDayEveryDay, where residents can find unique ways to celebrate and help preserve our planet while staying safe at home or in the outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 4/2/2020 DEEP Official to Help Steer National Clean Energy Collaborative

  Lauren Savidge, director of energy supply for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), has been named a member of the Advisory Committee of the 100% Clean Energy Collaborative, an initiative launched today by the Clean Energy States Alliance.

• 3/5/2020 DEEP Seeking Opinions on Warm Water Fisheries

  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Fisheries Division is pleased to invite all those interested to attend one of the public discussions focused on the State’s warm water recreational fisheries.

• 9/14/2020 DEEP Encourages Continued Bear Awareness Heading into Fall

  Heading into the fall season, in which black bears increase their food intake to add fat reserves needed to help them survive winter hibernation, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is reminding residents of several best practices they can incorporate to help reduce the likelihood of an encounter with a bear.

• 3/13/2020 DEEP Announces COVID-19 Operational Adjustments

• 9/17/2020 DEEP Assisting North Windham Fire Department with Wildfire in Natchaug State Forest

  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is assisting the North Windham Fire Department and several other local departments with a contained wildfire in the Natchaug State Forest in Windham.

• 5/11/2020 Wild Orphans -To Rescue or Not

  Spring and summer are busy times for people and animals. Many animals are setting up territories, building nests, or finding den sites to give birth and raise their young. At the same time, people are spending more time outdoors and the chances are greater that someone may come across a young bird or mammal that may appear to be orphaned or injured. It is normal for many animals to leave their young alone for long periods of time, so your help may not be needed. In all likelihood, the adult is nearby watching and waiting to return.

• 12/11/2020 Menhaden Fish Kills Reported Along Connecticut Shoreline, DEEP Believes Due to Naturally Occurring Factors

  In the past month, DEEP Fisheries Division staff have received and investigated numerous calls of reported sightings of dead fish along the Connecticut shoreline, from Darien to New London, and numerous points in between. These incidents, known as fish kills, involve a species of fish called Atlantic Menhaden, also known as “bunker.”

• 7/14/2020 Connecticut Joins Bi-Partisan Multi-State Effort to Green Truck Fleets

  Connecticut took another significant step forward in its effort to address the climate crisis and the health impacts of air pollution today as it joined 14 other states and the District of Columbia in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work collaboratively to advance and accelerate the market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

• 7/14/2020 Interactions with Black Bears on the Rise in Connecticut

  Interactions between black bears and people are continuing their year-to-year rise, resulting in unprecedented numbers of complaints and requests for assistance, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today.

• 11/23/2020 DEEP Announces Special Bonus Fishery of Lake Trout

  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is pleased to announce a surprise “bonus fishery,” recently stocking close to 500 Lake Trout in select waters around the state!

• 7/24/2020 DEEP and Other Local Firefighters Deploy to Fight California Wildfires

  Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Forest Protection Staff are preparing a 10-person group of trained wildland firefighters to assist the U.S. Forest Service in fighting wildfires in the western United States, following receipt of a request for national wildfire response this morning.

• 7/14/2020 State Rejects MIRA Plea for Hundreds of Millions in Subsidies for Hartford Waste Incinerator

  In a letter Tuesday, DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes rejected a plan submitted by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) for presenting a “false choice, and a bad deal” for taxpayers across the state, Hartford residents, and the environment.