News Releases - 2023

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• 9/12/2023 Bat Appreciation Day to Be Held at Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine on Sunday, Sept. 17

  (HARTFORD) — Join the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Wildlife Division and the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) for a celebration of bat conservation at the Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby on Sunday, September 17, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To raise awareness of the plight of bats and their importance to our ecosystem and our economy, the DEEP Wildlife Division and DECD Office of Culture and Tourism have joined forces to host the seventh annual Bat Appreciation Day.

• 9/1/2023 Migratory Bird Hunting Season Dates Set

  (HARTFORD) — Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced the dates for the 2023-2024 migratory bird hunting seasons, which include seasons for ducks, geese, woodcock, snipe, rails, and crows.

• 9/1/2023 State Emergency Response Commission to Conduct Interagency Emergency Preparedness Training Exercise Sept. 7

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that several emergency preparedness and response agencies will gather on September 7 in Bridgeport and Fairfield to conduct a full-scale field training emergency preparedness exercise.

• 8/31/2023 DEEP Urges Caution as State Park Lifeguard Presence Reduced on Labor Day Weekend

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today reminded state park visitors that the number of lifeguards at state park swimming areas will be reduced over Labor Day weekend, and that Monday, September 4, will be the last day for lifeguard coverage in the state park swimming areas.

• 8/24/2023 DEEP Announces Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew's Return from Montana Deployment

  [HARTFORD, CT] – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is thrilled to announce the safe return of the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew (CIFC) following their recent deployment to Montana. Having deployed on August 8th, 2023, to the Colt fire a few miles northwest of Seely Lake, the crew of 16 battled fires in near red flag conditions.

• 8/10/2023 DEEP’s Next No Child Left Inside® Families in the Parks Program is Saturday August 12, 2023

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) presents its next 2023 No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Families in the Parks Program at Fort Trumbull State Park in New London on Saturday, August 12, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. alongside DEEP’s Fish with CARE team.

• 8/8/2023 Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew Deploys To Fight Wildfires in Montana

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that sixteen members of the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew (CIFC) mobilized early this morning from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Eastern District Headquarters in Marlborough to fight wildfires in Montana.

• 8/4/2023 DEEP’s Next No Child Left Inside® Families in the Parks Program is Saturday, August 5, 2023

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Friends of Dinosaur Park and Arboretum present the next 2023 No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Families in the Parks Program at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill on Saturday August 5, 2023, for free, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• 7/27/2023 Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Adopting Clean Air Car and Truck Emission Standards To Reduce Air Pollution, Protect Public Health, Promote Development

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that the State of Connecticut is proposing regulations to make cars and trucks up to 90% cleaner and to require vehicle manufacturers to deliver more zero-emission vehicles to Connecticut drivers while also increasing consumer protections. The public comment period remains open until August 23, 2023.

• 7/25/2023 DEEP Releases Draft Clean Energy Solicitations

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) today released two draft Requests for Proposals for new large-scale zero carbon electricity resources. The proposals will help advance Governor Lamont’s Energy Action Plan to improve energy affordability and reliability for Connecticut ratepayers, and help achieve the state’s statutory mandates for a 100 percent zero carbon electric sector by 2040 and economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of at least 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050.

• 7/21/2023 DEEP’s Next No Child Left Inside® Families in the Parks Program is Saturday

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) presents its next 2023 No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Families in the Parks Program at Hopeville Pond State Park in Griswold on Saturday, July 22, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration for NCLI is now open at: www.NoChildLeftInside.org.

• 7/19/2023 DEEP Issues Recreation Safety Reminder Regarding High Water and Summer Weather Forecast

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) is reminding residents and visitors to exercise caution when recreating in and on the water considering the recent extreme weather events impacting the state and the region.

• 7/18/2023 DEEP Forecasts PM2.5 Levels Today will be “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” for Northwest Connecticut from Canadian Wildfire Smoke

  (HARTFORD) — Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is expecting smoke from wildfires over Quebec to elevate fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels today, July 18 through July 19. These levels are expected to reach Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) levels for northwest Connecticut on July 18 with elevated PM2.5 levels statewide on the morning of July 19. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) also is issuing guidance and information on protective measures.

• 7/18/2023 DEEP Announces Free Swimming Lesson Program in Partnership with Boys Girls Club of New Britain

  (New Britain, CT) – Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) Commissioner Katie Dykes joined local and state elected officials, and Boys & Girls Club of New Britain (BGCNB) leaders today to announce $250,000 to fund free swimming lessons to qualifying children at the BGCNB pool deck. The partnership with the BGCNB will enable children 17 and under to receive free swim lessons at the facility’s pool.

• 7/14/2023 DEEP to Renew Stakeholder Engagement on Bottle Bill Implementation

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is seeking public input on the implementation of recent and upcoming changes to Connecticut’s Bottle Bill, and will be holding a public meeting on this process on Monday, July 24 at 1 p.m. In order to maximize transparency and engagement with all stakeholders interested in Bottle Bill implementation, DEEP will convene a Bottle Bill Advisory Group that will meet regularly in coming months.