News Releases

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• 2/4/2026 No Child Left Inside® Winter Festival Postponed

  (HARTFORD)— Due to the forecasted weather conditions this weekend, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is postponing the No Child Left Inside® 20th annual Winter Festival scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7th, at Burr Pond State Park. The event has been postponed and is rescheduled for Saturday February 21st at Burr Pond State Park at 384 Burr Mountain Road in Torrington.

• 2/2/2026 DEEP to Host 20th Annual No Child Left Inside® Winter Festival Feb. 7

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Winter is a great time to celebrate the outdoors with your friends and family, enjoying the crisp, cold New England weather. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) invites the public to join the free No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) 20th annual Winter Festival at Burr Pond State Park at 384 Burr Mountain Road, Torrington on Saturday February 7, 2026, from 10 am to 3 pm.

• 2/2/2026 DEEP Issues Request for Proposals for Paddlecraft Rental Services in Seven CT State Parks

  (HARTFORD, CT) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for canoe, kayak and/or stand-up paddleboard rental services at seven state parks including Burr Pond State Park in Torrington, Hopeville Pond State Park in Griswold, Indian Well State Park in Shelton, Lake Waramaug State Park in Kent, Mount Tom State Park in Litchfield, Pattaconk Lake/Reservoir Recreation Area in Cockaponset State Forest in Chester/Haddam and Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield.

• 1/30/2026 DEEP Announces 2026 Zero Carbon Request for Proposals

  (HARTFORD)-The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) released a final Request for Proposals (RFP) today seeking proposals to provide zero carbon electric power from nuclear, hydropower, solar, onshore wind and associated transmission, and/or paired and co-located energy storage systems to diversify the state’s energy sources, improve electric reliability, and save ratepayers money. Through this RFP, DEEP will coordinate with other New England states that also are interested in potentially procuring these resources. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, and Vermont, or their respective utilities, have expressed interest in participating under their states’ relevant authorities.

• 1/27/2026 DEEP to Hold Second Public Informational Workshop to Explore New Nuclear Capacity in Connecticut February 3rd

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will hold the second in a series of public informational workshops with nationally recognized experts on key issues involved in new nuclear development on Tuesday, February 3rd. This will be a virtual workshop.

• 1/8/2026 DEEP Reminds Residents To Use Best Practices When Wood Burning for Heat During Winter

  (HARTFORD)— Winter is here, and burning wood to keep a home warm is a long-standing tradition in New England. Depending on the source of the wood, wood burning can provide a cost-effective alternative to use of fossil fuels. But did you know that one old, inefficient wood stove can emit as much air pollution as five dirty, old diesel trucks? The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is urging residents to protect their health and that of their family, friends, and neighbors by employing “best burn” practices. Properly burning the correct type of wood limits exposure to wood smoke, which is a toxic air pollutant.

• 12/18/2025 Governor Lamont Announces Funding To Establish New State Program Helping To Make Energy Efficiency Upgrades at Existing Homes

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont, chairman of the State Bond Commission, today announced that the commission voted at its meeting this morning to approve an allocation of $18 million in bond funding that will be used to establish the Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving Loan and Grant Fund – a new state loan and grant program that will assist in making energy efficiency upgrades at existing single-family and multi-family homes and helping residents generate savings on energy bills.

• 12/18/2025 Connecticut and New England State Partners Announce Clean Energy Selections

  (HARTFORD)— Today, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), along with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, Maine Public Utilities Commission, and Green Mountain Power in Vermont, announced that they have collectively selected new clean energy projects totaling 173 megawatts (MW) of new solar generation through a collaborative, multistate, competitive solicitation. Connecticut is procuring 67 MW across 3 projects, with the remainder procured by the other states.

• 12/4/2025 DEEP and CTDOT Celebrate Tunnel Lighting Project Completion on Hop River State Park Trail

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) are pleased to announce the completed installation of lighting in a 400-foot tunnel along the Hop River State Park Trail within Bolton Notch State Park. The project improves visibility for the many walkers, runners, and cyclists who use the trail each day.

• 12/4/2025 Governor Lamont and Commissioner Dykes Statements on Trump Administration’s Rollback of Fuel Economy Standards

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes today released the following statements regarding a proposal announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to roll back federal fuel economy standards, which have been supported by federal administrations from both parties since 1975 and have helped Americans use less gas

• 12/3/2025 DEEP Announces New Inland Sportfish Regulations Focused on Conserving Wild Brook Trout

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that sportfishing regulations for the Inland District will be updated January 1, 2026. Most notably, the updated regulations provide additional protections for declining populations of brook trout, the only species of trout native to Connecticut. Decades of monitoring by DEEP biologists shows a clear trend of reduced range and abundance of brook trout in the state. Brook trout require cold water to survive and flourish, meaning that they are particularly susceptible to the impacts of our warming climate.

• 12/2/2025 MEDIA ADVISORY: DEEP and CTDOT Celebrate Tunnel Lighting Project Completion on Hop River State Park Trail

  (HARTFORD)--The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will hold an event to celebrate the completion of a lighting installation in a 400-foot tunnel along the Hop River State Park Trail within Bolton Notch State Park. The project enhances visitor safety and accessibility for walkers, runners, and cyclists by improving visibility in the curved tunnel, straddled by natural rock outcrops and watercourses.

• 12/1/2025 DEEP To Hold First Public Informational Workshop to Explore New Nuclear Energy Capacity in Connecticut December 10th

  (HARTFORD) - The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will hold the first in a series of public informational workshops with nationally recognized experts on key issues involved in new nuclear development on Wednesday, December 10th.

• 11/26/2025 Celebrate the 2025 Winter Holidays at Two Connecticut State Parks

  (HARTFORD) – The winter holiday season is upon us, and the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) State Parks & Public Outreach Division celebrates with the festive transformation of two of its historic homes: Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby and Gillette Castle in East Haddam.

• 10/29/2025 Governor Lamont Announces $7.5 Million in Grants Awarded to 18 Municipalities and Regional Organizations To Support Sustainable Waste Reduction

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes today announced that the Lamont administration is awarding $7.5 million in grants to 18 municipalities and regional organizations under the second round of DEEP’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Grant Program.