Compliance Assistance

DEEP's Compliance Assistance Hub

This is DEEP’s centralized Compliance Assistance webpage, connecting you to DEEP’s programmatic compliance assistance resources. DEEP's policy is to maintain and further enhance environmental protection in Connecticut by using pollution prevention, permitting, assistance, and enforcement resources in an integrated manner to solve the environmental problems identified as priorities. Generally, DEEP helps permittees come into compliance with permit requirements before pursuing enforcement. DEEP also provides compliance assistance after enforcement.

DEEP advises permittees to follow these quick tips for compliance:

Re-read your permit to understand its requirements. Read the regulations applicable to that permit.
Ask questions if you do not understand.
Each program has an engineer or analyst of the day and a general email inbox. Please visit our Contacts webpage. DEEP tries to respond to questions within 24 hours.
Request a compliance meeting with the permitting program.

Self-disclosure - You may choose to self-identify any non-compliance and make a plan to reach compliance through DEEP’s self-disclosure process.

Complaints - You may need to report an environmental emergency or concern.

General Compliance Questions - DEEP’s Office of Innovative Partnerships and Planning (OIPP) provides a central point of contact for all stakeholders seeking information and assistance including:

Pre-application Meetings - assisting applicants in understanding the environmental permitting process and requirements;
Client Concierge Service - coordinating complex application processing;
Municipal Services – assisting municipalities with permitting and funding for their projects;
Municipal Team – creating municipal partnerships;
Working in partnership with the CT Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and other state agencies;
Stakeholder Outreach - promoting compliance and innovative solutions through education, guidance, and recognition of environmental performance.

Contact OIPP at DEEP.OPPD@ct.gov

Environmental Justice – DEEP’s Office of Equity and Environmental Justice (OEEJ) ensures that no segment of the population bears a disproportionate share of the risks and consequences of environmental pollution. OEEJ can help you work within your community to further this goal.

Contact OEEJ at DEEP.EJ@ct.gov

Each of the following Environmental Quality permitting divisions offers compliance assistance:

Land and Water Resources Division (LWRD)

LWRD administers several regulatory programs that regulate land use and development within wetlands, coastal waters and floodplains. LWRD has a comprehensive webpage dedicated to compliance. LWRD offers pre-construction meetings to licensees of infrastructure projects due to the large footprint that infrastructure projects may have on the landscape. Further, LWRD also produces guidance documents for coastal property owners, with the goal of educating them of typical coastal resources found on their property and permitting requirements for coastal structures such as docks and seawalls. And finally, LWRD hosts annual regulatory stakeholder engagement meetings for consultants that prepare permit applications for infrastructure projects and coastal structures. These annual meetings focus on compliance assistance by updating the community of regulatory updates and / or typical errors that are found in applications during the review process.

LWRD’s Top 10 Compliance Issues and How to Fix Them

LWRD Contacts | DEEP.LWRDENFORCEMENT@ct.gov | DEEP.LWRDPermitting@ct.gov

Emergency Response and Spill Prevention Division (ERSPD)

ERSPD responds to environmental emergencies that result from releases and threats of release of chemicals, hazardous wastes, petroleum products, and other hazardous material onto the ground or into surface waters, air, or groundwater of the state from roadway incidents, industrial processes, oil and chemical spills, failed tanks/pipes and abandoned drums, as well as biological and chemical weapons on a 24/7 basis. These releases are required to be reported in accordance with the release reporting regulations (CGS 22a-450) and any cleanup of these releases requires a permitted spill cleanup contractor (CGS 22a-454).

ERSPD is also responsible for ensuring compliance with the underground storage tank regulations, federal PCB regulations, and marine terminal regulations. The Division has various web pages outlining compliance assistance for the programs administered by the ERSPD. In addition, there is a staff person of the day available to address compliance concerns, specific program phone number/email lines, and an emergency phone/email complaint form. As a matter of practice, the Division conducts continuous outreach to stakeholders on a frequent basis to assist in compliance assistance.

In addition, the Division provides technical support to the rest of the agency through the Site Assessment and Technical Services Unit which provides a variety of technical capabilities such as FAA-compliant drone program, investigation, and analytical support. It also maintains a number of landfills in post-closure through the Landfill Stewardship Unit.

DEEP’s ERSPD houses the State’s Emergency Response Commission, which oversees the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). EPCRA law applies to the requirement for Connecticut facilities and businesses reporting the chemicals and products used on a site.

ERSPD's Top 10 Compliance Issues and How to Fix Them

ERSPD Contacts | DEEP.LeakingUST@ct.gov | (866) DEP-SPIL

Air Enforcement Division (AIR)

The Air Enforcement Division’s (AIR) compliance assurance program utilizes a variety of tools to ensure that operations of sources of air pollution comply with all applicable orders, permits, the Connecticut General Statutes, and the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. AIR manages the Anti-Idling program, Open Burning permitting, Gasoline Dispensing Facilities regulatory requirements, and more. For more information about the compliance tools available for a specific program within AIR, please see the webpages linked below:

Air Compliance Assurance Training Education
Air Compliance Assurance - Forms
Anti-Idling
Emission Reduction Credits
Gasoline Dispensing Facilities
Wood Burning in Connecticut
Open Burning
Air Compliance Assurance Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
Air Permitting Assistance
Air Emissions Permits and General Permits
Air Permits- Frequently Asked Questions
Air Quality Dispersion Modeling

AIR Contacts | Compliance Reporting | (860) 424-4152

Water Permitting and Enforcement Division (WPED)

WPED regulates water discharges through the Stormwater Management, Industrial Wastewater, Agricultural Wastewater, and Subsurface Discharge programs. Instances of permit noncompliance, including but not limited to effluent limit violations, equipment malfunctions, and bypasses, should be submitted online here by facilities with discharge permits issued by WPED. For bypasses, spills, or environmental emergencies, DEEP’s Emergency Response Unit must also be called at (860) 424-3338.

You can also visit our Industrial Wastewater Compliance Assistance website for specific information.

NetDMR is a free tool for submitting Discharge Monitoring Reports online.

WPED's Top Compliance Issues and How to Fix Them

WPED Contacts | DEEP.WaterPermittingEnforcement@ct.gov | (860-) 424-3025

Waste Engineering and Enforcement Division (WEED)

WEED administers several programs which promote waste minimization, recycling, and beneficial use of solid wastes. WEED also implements state and federal waste regulations. Visit the Waste Management webpage for links to the solid waste, recycling, pesticides and other waste management programs where you can find compliance assistance such as training opportunities, statutes and regulations, and permitting.

Hazardous Waste Compliance Assistance:

The Hazardous Waste Compliance Assistance Program (COMPASS) was created to assist Connecticut businesses and industries in complying with waste management regulations. COMPASS has three main components:

A toll-free number (888-424-4193) for the regulated community provides immediate access to DEEP hazardous waste management staff for general compliance assistance information requests.
WEED offers guidance documents and sponsors training conferences and seminars for the regulated community. DEEP has developed a free Hazardous Waste Management Online Training Course to assist businesses in meeting the initial and annual training requirements for hazardous waste generators under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). In addition, a Compliance Assistance Handbook is available online.
Consultative Services - WEED offers site-specific conferences focusing on hazardous waste regulations applicable to the facility and its operations. DEEP also offers on-site voluntary compliance audits to operators of new or expanding businesses.

Solid Waste's Top 8 Compliance Issues and How to Fix Them

Hazardous Waste's Top 10 Compliance Issues and How to Fix Them

Pesticide’s Top 10 Compliance Issues and How to Fix Them

WEED Contacts | COMPASS 888-424-4193

Beyond Compliance:

Increasing attention is being paid to the environmental impacts associated with the materials and products we manufacture and consume, the waste we generate, the energy we use, the transportation choices we make, and the buildings we build. Environmental leaders in business and industry are demonstrating the advantages of going beyond regulatory compliance, simultaneously increasing efficiency, reducing waste, saving significant costs, and improving competitiveness. They are achieving these goals through a broad range of actions and activities:

Pollution prevention – DEEP’s Pollution Prevention program encourages facilities to go beyond compliance and, wherever possible, to integrate pollution prevention approaches as the preferred best practice to reduce pollution. 860-424-3297 | DEEP.PollutionPrevention@ct.gov
Opportunities to green business practices
Systematic environmental management systems
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards
Taking steps to reduce greenhouse gases and improve energy efficiency
Reducing the environmental impacts and exposure to toxics from manufacturing processes and products
Life-cycle cost assessments
Partnerships with government agencies, trade associations, and communities
Leading by example - What DEEP is doing to be a Green Agency

US EPA Initiatives and Partnerships:

Related Organizations:

National Small Business Environmental Assistance Program
ConnStep
OSHA

Content Last Revised October 2025.

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection