Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Rocky Neck State Park is also closed until further notice due to a brush fire. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force

PFAS Action Plan Title PageOn November 4, 2019, Governor Ned Lamont officially released the PFAS Action Plan prepared by the Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force.  The plan recommends a comprehensive series of actions to address per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in Connecticut.

    Implementation of the recommended initiatives outlined in the plan has transitioned to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Department of Public Health (DPH), and other state agencies.  An update on actions completed to-date was provided on December 8, 2022:

    For more information please contact:

    • Meghan Lally - CT DEEP Remediation Division, PFAS Lead
    • Pat Bisacky - CT DPH Emerging Contaminants Unit, Supervising Environmental Analyst

    Task Force Process

    The Interagency PFAS Task Force was established by Governor Ned Lamont on July 8, 2019 to protect Connecticut residents and the environment from the harmful effects of PFAS.  This Task Force, which was led by the DPH and DEEP and included representatives from a broad variety of state agencies, was tasked with delivering a PFAS Action Plan to Governor Lamont containing a comprehensive strategy to:

    1. Minimize human health risk for Connecticut residents,
    2. Minimize future releases of PFAS to the environment, and
    3. Identify, assess, and clean up historic releases of PFAS to the environment.
    To address these three focus areas, the Task Force established Committees on:
    These committees welcomed participation from all interested stakeholders. Over 400 public comments were received during the public comment period following the release of the draft action plan. After review and careful consideration of each comment, the draft plan was revised, to reflect public input.  

    Task Force Meetings and Webinars

    December 8, 2022- Task Force Meeting
    September 18, 2019 - Task Force Meeting

    A photograph of the PFAS Task Force Meeting held on August 28, 2019. Task Force members are seated around a meeting table, while members of the public, state agency staff, and other interested parties observer from seats along the site of the room.

     PFAS Interagency Task Force Meeting - August 28, 2019

    July 30, 2019 - Task Force Kick-Off Meeting
    Task Force Webinars

    Past PFAS-Related Actions and Events (2013-2019)

    2019
    2018
    • Due to the Westchester PFAS detections, DEEP and DPH lead sampling events and coordinate with the local health department to lead public outreach in Greenwich.  Elevated levels of PFAS above the DPH Drinking Water Action Level are detected in one private well.
    • DPH requires 80 large public water systems to perform land use risk assessments evaluating their water supply sources’ vulnerability to PFAS contamination.
    • DEEP and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) form a committee to evaluate and select PFAS-free alternatives to AFFF firefighting foam.
    2017
    • NY state officials notify DPH of PFAS groundwater contamination in Westchester County, NY, near the Westchester County Airport.
    • DEEP Remediation Division conducts outreach to Remediation Roundtable on PFAS, requesting that PFAS be addressed as a contaminant of concern at sites where warranted based on past site history and operations.
    2016
    • DPH establishes a Drinking Water Action Level of 70 ppt for the summed concentrations of five PFAS compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS).
    • DEEP and DPH staff begin to collaborate on PFAS.
    2013-2015
    • EPA-mandated testing confirms that none of Connecticut’s large public drinking water systems (i.e., systems serving >10,000 people) contain elevated levels of PFAS above EPA reporting limits at that time.

    Related Webpages:

     Content Last Updated March 24, 2023