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. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Long Island Sound Blue Plan – Final Draft

Home Button The Long Island Sound Blue Plan has been approved by the Connecticut General Assembly! The State Senate unanimously approved the Long Island Sound Blue Plan On Friday May 14, 2021; the House had unanimously approved the Plan on April 26, 2021. This means that the Blue Plan is now in full effect.

The final draft of the Blue Plan was re-submitted to the Connecticut General Assembly's (CGA) Environment Committee on January 4, 2021. The Environment Committee held a hearing on February 10, 2021, at which numerous stakeholders, legislators and members of the public expressed their strong support. On February 26, 2021, the Committee favorably reported out HJ 53, recommending approval of the Blue Plan by the full General Assembly.

The Plan had originally been submitted to the Environment Committee on January 23, 2020 for consideration during the 2020 legislative session. Unfortunately, as with all other legislation during the 2020 regular session, further action on the Blue Plan after the Environment Committee’s February 21, 2020 hearing was foreclosed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nothing was changed in the text of the Inventory and Plan that was resubmitted to the Environment Committee in 2021.The final draft of the Long Island Sound Blue Plan includes all revisions and modifications resulting from public comments received during the 90-day public review period between March 20, 2019, and June 21, 2019:

Commissioner Dykes' January 4, 2021 Blue Plan Transmittal Letter to CGA Environment Committee


Long Island Sound Blue Plan (Version 1.2 September 2019)

Blue Plan Executive Summary

Long Island Sound Resource and Use Inventory (Version 1.4 September 2019)

Ecological Characterization Summary

Blue Plan Map Viewer

Commissioner Dykes' January 23, 2020 Blue Plan Transmittal Letter to CGA Environment Committee

Within 45 days of the start of the legislative session and receipt of the Blue Plan, the Environment Committee must conduct a public hearing on the Plan.

Within 45 days of that public hearing, the Environment Committee must then submit the Blue Plan and its recommendation for approval or disapproval of the Plan to the full General Assembly.

The Long Island Sound Blue Plan will become effective when it is approved by a majority vote of each chamber of the General Assembly.

Questions about next steps for the Blue Plan can be sent to:

DEEP.BluePlanLIS@ct.gov; or

LIS Blue Plan
Land & Water Resources Division – Planning
CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106

To receive updates on the status of the Blue Plan as it makes its way through the legislative review process, please join the Long Island Sound Blue Plan listserv.


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Content Last Updated August 13, 2020