Press Releases
06/30/2023
DEEP Applauds More Than $22 Million in State Bond Commission Funding Approvals
State Parks, Open Space Acquisition, and PFAS Initiatives Funded
(HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today received more than $22 million from the State Bond Commission that will fund several key environmental initiatives across the state, including state park improvements, land acquisition for open space and outdoor recreation, and testing of private drinking water wells for the presence of PFAS.
Among the items approved at Friday’s meeting of the State Bond Commission include:
- $15 million to support statewide repairs preventative maintenance and new construction at various State Parks, State Forests and Wildlife Management Areas.
- $6 million to acquire land that will be used to add to Connecticut’s network of State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management Areas.
- $1.15 million to fund a variety of actions related to the studying, testing, and remedying of PFAS impacts on drinking water. Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of thousands of human-made chemicals that have been used widely in consumer products and industry since the 1940s.
“DEEP is grateful that the critical funds approved by the State Bond Commission today will benefit so many Connecticut residents by funding improvements in our parks, preserving open space, and implementing key recommendations of the Governor’s PFAS Action Plan,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “We’ve made a historic commitment to addressing the backlog of needed infrastructure improvements across the State Park system. Repairs, preventive maintenance, and new construction will improve and increase access to the outdoors.”
State Parks
The state parks have enjoyed a surge in popularity since the onset of the pandemic and welcomed an estimated 17 million visitors in 2022. They are a premier tourism destination, a huge part of the quality of life, and a boon to local economies.
Connecticut has an unprecedented amount of repair and refurbishment needed for the State Park system, and the current state budget includes $51.5 million ($21.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds as well as $30 million of bond fund authorization, of which today’s approved $15 million is part) to support these important investments.
Connecticut has 110 state parks and 32 state forests, which include 14 campgrounds, 23 designated swimming areas, thousands of miles of trails, and hundreds of thousands of acres to enjoy.
Open Space Preservation
DEEP protects open space by adding lands to the State's system of Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management Areas, and by providing open space grant funding to its land conservation partners. Parks and open spaces improve quality of life, provide a foundation for the tourism industry, and help attract and grow businesses. The funding announced today supports the Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Program.
The State's goal is to protect 673,210 acres or 21% of Connecticut's land as open space. Ten percent of this open space is to be DEEP-owned as parks, forests, and wildlife areas. The other 11% is to be owned by municipalities, private non-profit land conservation organizations, and water companies. This funding will help DEEP continue its progress towards that important goal.
PFAS
The Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force has undertaken a series of actions to address PFAS. This funding will allow DEEP to continue testing private drinking water wells that are located in communities vulnerable to PFAS pollution. Funds will be used to conduct laboratory analysis of drinking water samples for PFAS, install filtration systems on impacted water supplies, and investigate potential sources of PFAS pollution.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110