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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05/20/2024

DEEP Announces More Than $980,000 in Grants for Marine Sewage Disposal Facilities for the 2024 Boating Season

(HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that 30 marine pumpout facilities will receive $980,982 in funding for the 2024 boating season under DEEP’s annual Federal Clean Vessel Act (CVA) program. This program is an effort to improve water quality in Connecticut’s navigable waterways by providing federally funded matching grants for qualifying projects that provide boat sewage disposal facilities, more commonly known as pumpouts.

Four of the 30 grant recipients will receive funding for the construction of new or replacement pumpout stations or boats. The remaining projects fund operation and maintenance of land-based pumpouts and pumpout boats.

“This successful program keeps our waters clean, healthy, and continues to provide excellent water-based recreational opportunities in Connecticut,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “This vital program keeps Long Island Sound, Fishers Island Sound, tidal rivers and Candlewood Lake cleaner and more enjoyable for boating, swimming, and fishing, and improves the overall ecological health of these important waterways.”

The following facilities will receive grants:

  • Beacon Point Marine, Inc. – Greenwich
  • Branford East Shore Health District * – Guilford, Branford, East Haven, New Haven, West Haven
  • Cedar Island Marina – Clinton
  • City of New London – New London
  • Clinton Yacht Haven Dockominium – Clinton
  • Crocker’s Boatyard – New London
  • East Norwalk Blue * – Bridgeport, Darien, Fairfield, Norwalk, Westport, Stamford, Greenwich
  • Echo Bay Marina – Candlewood Lake, Brookfield
  • Hay’s Haven Marina – Chester
  • Lower Connecticut River Pumpout Boat Program - Essex, Chester, Deep River, Haddam, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook
  • Mianus River Boat & Yacht Club – Greenwich
  • Pequonnock Yacht Club – New Haven
  • Petzold’s Chester Boat Basin – Chester
  • Port Niantic, Inc. – East Lyme
  • Rex Marine Center, Inc. – Norwalk
  • Safe Harbor Yacht Haven – Stamford
  • Save the River – Save the Hills, Inc. – East Lyme, Waterford
  • Shennecossett Yacht Club – Groton
  • SHM Dauntless Shipyard and Marina – Essex
  • SHM Deep River Marina – Deep River
  • SHM Ferry Point – Old Saybrook
  • SHM Mystic LLC – Stonington
  • SHM Pilot’s Point Marina – Westbrook
  • SHM Stratford, LLC – Stratford
  • Shrink the Boat, LLC * – Mystic, Noank, Groton Long Point, New London, Fisher’s Island
  • Town of Stonington – Stonington
  • Town of Stratford – Stratford, Milford
  • Town of Westerly – Stonington, Pawcatuck, Westerly
  • Waucoma Yacht Club * – New Haven
  • William J. Petzold – Portland

(*) denotes new or replacement pumpout facility

Boaters’ use of the program has resulted in approximately one million gallons of sewage removed annually. Since 2018, nearly 7 million gallons of sewage was pumped from recreational boats, including 984,000 gallons in 2023.

Funding for the CVA program comes from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes on certain fishing and boating equipment and motorboat fuels. DEEP partners with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and issues grants to marine facilities and pumpout vessel programs through the CVA Grant Program. The marine facilities provide 25% of the cost of each project.

For more information about this program or to apply for funds by the June 3, 2024 deadline, visit the DEEP Boating webpage at https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Boating/CVA/CVA-Grant-Program-Information or contact Kate Brown, CVA Program Coordinator, at (860) 447-4340 or by email at kate.brown@ct.gov.

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860-424-3110