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

Connecticut USDA Seafood Processors Pandemic Response (USDA SPRS) and Safety Block Grant Program

The 2021 Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety (SPRS) Block Grant Program, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020, authorized the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to provide $50 million to eligible state agencies to provide relief to seafood dealers and seafood processors. Connecticut’s allocation is $200,000. CT DEEP and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) are not retaining any funds for overhead costs associated with administration of the funds. DEEP has instructed ASMFC to hold 10% ($20,000) of the revised aid total in reserve to cover any appeals (any of the funds set aside for appeals that are not ultimately used for that purpose will be evenly distributed among qualified eligible beneficiaries whose qualified expenses exceeded the amount of their original disbursement. After accounting for the appeals set-aside, a total of $180,000 is available for immediate disbursement to qualified eligible beneficiaries. 

To qualify for SPRS reimbursement, applicants must participate in a CT based seafood dealing/wholesaling/processing business. The CT DEEP posted notice of available funds on June 1, 2023 via DEEP Marine Fisheries News listserv and will determine individual disbursements following the application closing date of June 30, 2023. Individual disbursements will be dependent upon the number of applicants and the proportion of expenses for each applicant in each of the six expense categories. 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will distribute these reimbursement funds to qualified eligible beneficiaries at the direction of the CT DEEP. More details on CT’s USDA SPRS program, including general information and eligibility criteria can be found in the Connecticut USDA SPRS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to review the FAQ document before applying for CT USDA SPRS reimbursement. The following is a brief summary of primary CT USDA SPRS reimbursement eligibility requirements:

  • You must own or operate a seafood dealing/wholesaling/processing business in CT
  • You must qualify to apply for reimbursement based on the definitions of eligible beneficiaries provided by the USDA
  • You must have incurred eligible expenses to prepare for, prevent exposure to, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic during the period of January 27, 2020 through December 31, 2021
  • You must not have applied for SPRS reimbursement from any other State or Territory
  • Reimbursement disbursements cannot be made to minors or any business that owes a debt to the federal government

Application must be received or postmarked by June 30, 2023. We strongly encourage application submission via e-mail.

Useful links:

USDA Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program (USDA SPRS) Application

Connecticut USDA SPRS FAQ

N23-22 DEEP Marine Fisheries News 

2021 Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety (SPRS) Block Grant Program

For questions related to the USDA SPRS grant program, please contact the DEEP Marine Fisheries Program by email at deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov or call DEEP Marine Fisheries at 860-434-6043 and leave a voicemail.

 

Content last updated on June 2, 2023