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

Press Releases

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07/14/2023

DEEP to Renew Stakeholder Engagement on Bottle Bill Implementation

Public Meeting on July 24, 2023

(HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is seeking public input on the implementation of recent and upcoming changes to Connecticut’s Bottle Bill, and will be holding a public meeting on this process on Monday, July 24 at 1 p.m. In order to maximize transparency and engagement with all stakeholders interested in Bottle Bill implementation, DEEP will convene a Bottle Bill Advisory Group that will meet regularly in coming months.

 

With the passage of Public Act 21-58, An Act Concerning Solid Waste Management, as well as June Special Session, Public Act 21-2, An Act Concerning Provisions related to Revenue and Other Items to Implement the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2023, Connecticut has seen significant transformation of its beverage container redemption program (i.e., the Bottle Bill, Connecticut General Statutes Sections 22a-244 through 22a-246 inclusive). The Bottle Bill is a beverage container redemption program that places a redemption value (“the deposit”) on certain beverage containers (“deposit containers”) at the time of purchase and returns that deposit to the consumer when the empty bottle or can is returned.

Public Act 21-58 provided for an increased handling fee for containers effective October 1, 2021; expanded the containers covered under the Bottle Bill effective January 1, 2023; and increases the value to 10 cents on deposit containers effective January 1, 2024, in addition to other requirements aimed at making redemption of deposit containers more convenient for consumers. In addition, Section 65 of June Special Session Public Act 21-2 charged DEEP with establishing a grant program to support the development of new redemption centers and modernize existing redemption centers.

DEEP has received many inquiries about the Bottle Bill changes and has seen significant interest from consumers, retailers, distributors, and legislators. DEEP is committed to transparency, predictability, and efficiency in agency processes and has determined that expanded stakeholder engagement is warranted and will provide for effective implementation of the Bottle Bill.

DEEP will host a series of meetings to engage all stakeholders and legislators in a Bottle Bill Advisory Group to solicit input on the areas of interest and question regarding components of PA 21-58. DEEP proposes to schedule monthly meetings beginning in late July 2023, through the end of the calendar year. The first meeting will be on Monday, July 24 at 1 p.m. Participants can attend and share their thoughts by registering at the link below.

Bottle Bill Advisory Group Public Meeting

July 24, 2023, 1:00 pm

Register here

To add your name to the distribution list for the Bottle Bill Advisory Group, please go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CTBottleBillStakeholder

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Contact

DEEP Communications  
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110