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

DEEP News Release Header

05/23/2017

Student Boating Safety Ambassador Award Program 3:00 PM TODAY at State Capitol Building, Hartford

On Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at the State Capitol in Hartford, Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) recognized 50 students who participated in this year’s pilot Student Boating Safety Ambassador Program as part of National Safe Boating Week.
“Introducing safe boating practices and procedures to students at the middle and high school level will help prepare them for the future – when they may be boating with family and friends,” said Robert Klee, DEEP Commissioner. “Our goal is to educate students on safe, recreational boating procedures by providing important information to them during their teenage years.”
The program was designed to create awareness at their schools about boating safety in a peer to peer approach.  Students from 35 shoreline middle and high schools created boating safety presentations that were put on display for a month at the ambassador’s school.  The displays were also showcased at the Legislative Office Building this week during National Safe Boating Week (May 16-22).
The students will receive credit for their project as either a community service project, senior project or extra credit.  For their hard work, the students will be awarded Certificates of Appreciation from the DEEP.
Students are in grades 5-12, ages 11-18, and are from the following towns: 
 Bridgeport  Colchester  East Hartford  Farmington
 Glastonbury  Greenwich  Groton City  Groton
 Guilford  Haddam  Ledyard  Madison
 New Fairfield  New Haven  New London (2)  Norwalk
 Norwich  Old Lyme  Old Saybrook  Shelton
 Stonington  Wallingford  Waterford  West Haven
 Wolcott  Woodstock
Twitter: @CTDEEPNews
Facebook: DEEP on Facebook