News Releases

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• 7/8/2019 Environmental Conservation Police Make Arrest in After Witnesses Report Man Brandishing Firearm from Vessel

  Officers with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Environmental Conservation (Encon) Police on Sunday arrested Matthew Graillat, 32, of East Haddam, on charges of Threatening in the First Degree and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree following an incident on July 5th on the Connecticut River in East Haddam in which witnesses reported that he pointed a firearm towards other boaters.

• 7/8/2019 DEEP Announces Public Notice of the Proposed Amendments to the Remediation Standard Regulations

  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) on Monday posted for public review and comment its proposed amendments to Sections 22a-133k-1 to 22a-133k-3, inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, also known as the Remediation Standard Regulations (RSRs).

• 7/7/2019 Governor Lamont Orders Formation of Working Group to Examine Issues Concerning PFAS

  Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing several state agencies, led by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Public Health, to immediately convene a working group to examine issues related to the chemical PFAS. Used in firefighting foam, studies have linked PFAS, a class of thousands of chemicals involving perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl, to potentially cause dangerous health problems.

• 7/4/2019 Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police to Launch Operation Dry Water

  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon) will be increasing their on-water enforcement targeting boaters under the influence as part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign taking place July 5 - July 7.

• 7/1/2019 DEEP Concludes Seaside State Park RFP Process with No Award

  The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that it has concluded a Request for Proposal (RFP) process in an effort to identify a private development partner to redevelop four National Register-listed buildings into a State Park Lodge.

• 6/26/2019 Fourth-of-July Weekend Beachgoers Asked to “Fish, Swim, and Play from 50 Yards Away” of Bird Nesting Areas

  Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is asking the public to help protect birds that nest in coastal areas by staying at least 50 yards away from places where large concentrations of birds are gathered and avoiding areas that are roped off or marked with signs designating nesting locations.

• 6/19/2019 Body Recovered from Connecticut River Was Missing Boater

  Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police today confirmed that the body pulled from the Connecticut River on Wednesday is that of the boater who went missing on Saturday, June 15, 2019.

• 6/18/2019 Governor Lamont and DEEP Commissioner Dykes Statements on Trump Administration’s Actions to Replace the Clean Power Plan

  Governor Ned Lamont and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes today released the following statements regarding the Trump administration’s actions to replace the Clean Power Plan:

• 6/16/2019 DEEP Offering Training to Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

  The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) is offering training for citizens interested in volunteering to monitor local boat launches for the presence of invasive plants and animals, such as zebra mussels.

• 6/12/2019 Governor Lamont Announces Sleeping Giant State Park to Reopen to the Public on Friday, June 14

  Governor Ned Lamont and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes today announced that Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden will reopen to the public beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, June 14.

• 6/12/2019 DEEP Commissioner Launches 18-Month Push for Greater Efficiency in Permitting, Regulatory Processes

  Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes today presented state business leaders and environmental professionals with a set of short-term high-impact agency goals aimed at providing greater predictability, efficiency, and transparency for environmental permitting and regulatory processes.

• 6/6/2019 Governor Lamont Signs Legislation Authorizing the Development of Offshore Wind in Connecticut

  Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed legislation his administration introduced with the support of legislative advocates that authorizes the development of offshore wind in Connecticut.

• 5/30/2019 CT Greenways Council Presents 20th Annual Greenways Awards

  The Connecticut Greenways Council today commended eight individuals, and two non-profit organizations that have made significant contributions to the promotion, development and enhancement of Greenways – linear open space in Connecticut – and designated a new State Greenway at a ceremony this morning at Stratton Brook State Park in Simsbury, CT.

• 5/30/2019 Annual Wild Turkey Brood Survey

  Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) invites residents to keep a tally of all sightings of hen turkeys and poults (young-of-the-year) from June 1 through August 31 as part of the Wildlife Division’s Annual Wild Turkey Brood Survey.

• 5/23/2019 DEEP Completes 2019 Channel Catfish Stockings

  Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that Channel Catfish, one of the most sought after freshwater game fish species in the country, were stocked into nineteen (19) water bodies located throughout Connecticut (see list of locations below) on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.