Expanding DEEP Concierge Services
In Goal 12, DEEP is broadening its Client Concierge Services to municipalities and small businesses through enhanced permit assistance, tools for smoother project implementation, better communication, and more information about relevant funding opportunities. Background on this goal is presented in DEEP’s 20BY26, Setting the Target: CT DEEP 2026 Goals (February 2024).
Latest Progress (as of Spring 2025)
In April, DEEP issued a Municipal Connections newsletter about the re-launch of the CT Coalition for Sustainable Materials Management. DEEP also sent out two municipal update emails on April 17th and May 29th with time-sensitive information for municipalities on upcoming webinars/events, funding opportunities, and announcements.
The Concierge Team tabled at the June 2025 Sustainable CT annual meeting with representatives from DEEP’s Brownfields, Open Space, Urban and Community Forestry, and Sustainable Materials Management programs.
We updated our pre-permit application questionnaire with additional questions and information to help better guide applicants through the permitting process, including information about Natural Diversity Database reviews and questions for small businesses. We also posted a Municipal Composting sector permitting factsheet to provide a clear pathway for obtaining authorization for this popular activity.
Up Next
The Concierge Team will table at the Council of Small Towns Fall Conference in October 2025 to highlight our Community Renewable Energy Siting Tool (CREST). We will also publish a Municipal Connections on the CREST and offer demos for this useful siting tool.
On the horizon are more ways to connect small businesses with permit assistance, compliance assistance, and funding opportunities. DEEP is also developing updated forms and guidance for multi-media permit transfers that will clarify these transactions for the regulated community.
Please contact us anytime at DEEP.Concierge@ct.gov and subscribe to our permit updates and municipal news.
GOAL 12 PROGRESS FROM PREVIOUS QUARTERS
Winter 2025
In January 2025, DEEP’s Concierge Team, along with our Brownfields, MS4, and Wildlife programs, tabled at the Council of Small Towns annual meeting. DEEP also issued a Municipal Connections newsletter edition about the impacts of salt on the environment to highlight our recently published cross-program informational website. DEEP published a new permit application for the Large-Scale Beneficial Filing Pilot Program, along with associated permitting factsheets and instructions.
In March 2025, DEEP’s Client Concierge Service celebrated its 5th anniversary of providing excellent customer service and permit assistance to municipal and business applicants. In celebration, DEEP created a flyer about our Concierge services and a factsheet about our Permitting and Siting Resources.
In support of DEEP’s permitting program progress on Goals 2 and 3, the Concierge Team upgraded our Permit Timeliness Dashboards to include interactive charts.
In addition to networking with organizations that support small businesses, we participated in EPA’s annual Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) survey to collaborate on a national scale with other organizations.
Fall 2024
In December 2024, DEEP returned to the 2024 Connecticut Conference of Municipalities annual convention with staff from 7 different programs to connect with the over 1,000 attendees. Also in December, DEEP staff from the Concierge Team, Office of Environmental Review and Strategic Initiatives, Recreational Trails Program, and Brownfields Program presented a webinar for the Connecticut Main Street Coalition titled “DEEP & Downtown: An Update on DEEP's Municipal Services and Grant Programs.” DEEP sent out two Municipal Connections Newsletter editions, themed to Dam Safety and Wildfires, along with regular email updates to both our municipal and permit assistance subscribers.
As a first step in building out our specialized small business assistance, DEEP met with small business partners, such as CBIA, Connecticut Innovations, Climate Haven, CT Green Bank, and AdvanceCT, to understand how we can better support their entrepreneurs.
Summer 2024
The Municipal Team coordinated with the Bureau of Information Technology Solutions (BITS) to launch an internal customer relationship
management database solution to track municipal correspondence and inquiries, pre-application projects, Concierge projects, and environmental review projects.
The team issued a Municipal Connections newsletter about DEEP’s Bear Toolkit in September and sent municipal update emails with grant opportunities, announcements, events, and public comment opportunities approximately biweekly to 1,140 recipients, with an average open rate of 42% and a 11.5% click rate. DEEP now has an archive webpage for all past editions of the Municipal Connections newsletter.
The Concierge Team also began to hold Early Municipal Assistance meetings, bringing together municipal and DEEP permitting and grant staff to discuss prospective projects and provide guidance on potential regulatory requirements and funding opportunities.
Winter and Spring 2024
DEEP's Municipal Team began providing tailored services to municipalities through the launch of the new Municipal Hub webpage, Early Municipal Assistance Program, and Municipal Connections newsletter and email updates.
Content last updated September 2025