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

Press Releases

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03/03/2021

CT Greenways Council Accepting Nominations for State Greenway Designations

Nominations Accepted Until April 30th

 

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Greenways Council today announced that they are now soliciting nominations for official state greenway designations.

Greenways are an integral part of any community, offering recreational opportunities, providing alternative transportation options, helping to preserve the environment, and supporting economic development.  Greenways can make a community a more attractive place to live by connecting living spaces with the environment, and they preserve history and cultivate town pride. 

“Greenways protect our critical resources and often provide opportunities to connect people with those resources,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “Our Connecticut Greenways Council encourages municipalities to embrace the designation process to facilitate sustainable development, enhancement, and preservation of these special places.”

An official designation by the Greenways Council recognizes a greenway as an open space that not only meets the definition of a greenway, but also enhances the community and is supported by local government initiatives.  Designated greenways, both for recreation and resource protection, will be listed in a subsequent revision of the State Plan of Conservation and Development and may receive increased consideration for a variety of grants. There are currently 77 designated greenways in Connecticut.

The Greenways Council will evaluate all nominated greenways for consistency with designation criteria.  Those selected for designation will be announced by the Greenways Council in conjunction with their National Trails Day event in June. 

The deadline for submission of nominations is April 30, 2021.

The nomination form is available as a word document or a PDF.  The preferred method for submission of completed nomination forms is by e-mail to Laurie.Giannotti@ct.gov, and digital photos and maps are preferred (digital photos of hard copy maps are acceptable).  Nominations may also be submitted on CD or other electronic storage device and can be mailed to Laurie Giannotti, CT DEEP, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127. 

For more information on Connecticut’s Greenways, go here.

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