I believe that a clean and healthy environment is the foundation for a thriving economy. We have made tremendous strides over the past decade:

• DEEP’s Remediation Division completed 421 cleanups and put 3,624 acres back to productive use.
• We reduced air pollution from major facilities by 50 percent.
• We achieved required nitrogen reductions in the Long Island Sound ahead of schedule.
• We acquired 5,000 acres of open space and worked with other organizations to support the preservation of 10,000 additional acres.
• We supported habitats for 84 species of mammals, 335 species of birds, 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, 169 species of fish, and an estimated 20,000 species of invertebrates, including through the management of 34,000 acres of public land specifically maintained to enhance wildlife sustainability.

Governor Lamont has made environmental protection, climate, and clean energy development top priorities for his administration. He has called for DEEP to meet these priorities while ensuring that we are delivering on our mission with predictability, efficiency, and transparency.

I am pleased to present the 20 by ’20 initiative – 20 measurable process improvements between today and December 31, 2020 aimed at increasing predictability, efficiency, and transparency of DEEP’s regulatory processes, with accountability provided through a public dashboard of key indicators.

We hope you will send us recommendations to add to this initiative – please send your suggestions for the remaining three goals to 20by20@ct.gov.

-Commissioner Katie Dykes