News Releases - 2021

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• 7/9/2021 Remediation of Former United Nuclear Corporation Site in New Haven Complete

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), along with partners at the federal, municipal, and community level, and the private sector, is pleased to announce the completion of remediation activities at the former United Nuclear Corporation site located at 71 Shelton Ave. in the Newhallville neighborhood of New Haven.

• 3/31/2021 DEEP Expanding Non-Resident Fee Collection at Certain State Parks

  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), building off of a successful pilot program launched last fall, is expanding its remote non-resident parking fee system to more state parks beginning Thursday, and will resume in-person non-resident parking fee collection at several state parks beginning Memorial Day Weekend.

• 7/28/2021 DEEP Imposes Alcohol Ban for Billings Lake Boat Launch Area

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has enacted a temporary alcohol ban for the state’s Billings Lake Boat Launch area in North Stonington. This ban is in effect immediately and for the next 90 days.

• 7/8/2021 DEEP Asks Residents To Take Feeders Down and Be On the Lookout for Sick Songbirds

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is alerting residents to a mortality event occurring in parts of the United States among certain species of fledgling songbirds, and asking residents to take certain precautionary measures.

• 5/21/2021 First Class in Reinvented Special Conservation Officer EnCon Ranger Program to Graduate May 23

  The first group of recruits in the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s reinvented Special Conservation Officer (SCO) Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Ranger Program will graduate in a ceremony this Sunday, at 3 p.m., under an outdoor tent at Old Lyme High School

• 7/1/2021 DEEP Announces Operation Dry Water 2021

  (HARTFORD)—As boaters begin to prepare for the July 4th holiday weekend, law enforcement officers across Connecticut will be on heightened alert looking for those violating boating under the influence laws. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon), in partnership with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, local law enforcement, and the U.S. Coast Guard, will be participating in the national Operation Dry Water heightened awareness and enforcement weekend from July 2 – 4, 2021.

• 10/25/2021 October Is a Great Time to Celebrate Connecticut's Bats

  (HARTFORD)—October heralds seasonal changes across Connecticut – the days continue to grow shorter, leaves change color, temperatures drop, and Halloween candy packs the shelves at stores. One of Halloween’s most iconic symbols is going through a big seasonal change as well. Across Connecticut, bats are on the move; three species of tree bats are moving south for the winter, while the six cave bat species are moving shorter distances where they will spend the winter hibernating.

• 2/24/2021 DEEP Launches 2021 Seasonal Recruitment Effort

  Want to work a fun job in the outdoors this year? The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) invites you to apply to join our seasonal workforce!

• 3/22/2021 Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail Now Open

  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Ahlstrom-Munksjo, and the towns of Windsor Locks and Suffield are pleased to announce that the Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail is open as of today.

• 7/16/2021 DEEP Begins Stakeholder Engagement on Bottle Bill Implementation

  (HARTFORD, CT) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is seeking public input on the implementation of new legislation that updates and modernizes Connecticut’s Bottle Bill, and will be holding a public meeting on this process on Monday, August 9 at 2 p.m.

• 10/26/2021 $4M Marsh Restoration Project Launches in Stratford

  Stratford, CT (October 25, 2021) – Connecticut’s coastline is getting an exciting refresh: After years of planning and fundraising, ground is being broken at Great Meadows Marsh, a Globally Important Bird Area, and part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. On November 1, construction will officially begin to restore up to 33 acres of salt marsh and other important coastal habitat.

• 6/18/2021 USDA Forest Service Approves Connecticut’s 2020 Forest Action Plan

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) recently received official approval from the USDA Forest Service of Connecticut’s 2020 Forest Action Plan, a ten-year strategic document designed to guide policies, priorities, and actions to conserve Connecticut’s forest resources across multiple landscapes from urban and suburban, to rural.

• 11/29/2021 DEEP Announces New Proposed Regulations For Whelk, Horseshoe Crab, Lobster, and Striped Bass

  (HARTFORD)— The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced intent to modify regulations governing fisheries for whelk, horseshoe crab, lobster, and striped bass. The proposed regulatory changes are intended to address the depleted state of these ecologically and economically important species in Long Island Sound.

• 12/22/2021 DEEP Announces Award of $12.7 Million in Volkswagen Settlement Funds For 43 New Electric School Buses in Environmental Justice Communities

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that the State of Connecticut is making available $12.7 million from the legal settlement in the Volkswagen (VW) Corporation emissions cheating scandal to fund five electric projects in the state, all in environmental justice communities.

• 7/29/2021 Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew Sends Crew to Fight Wildfires

  The Latest of Several Resources Connecticut has Deployed West this Season