News Releases - 2025

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• 7/15/2025 Governor Lamont Announces State Grants To Protect 2,270 Acres of Open Space and Create Six New Community Green Spaces

• 7/8/2025 State of Connecticut Regarding U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Efforts to Control Invasive Hydrilla in Connecticut River

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is providing more information about its role in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (the Army Corps) ongoing, multi-year project to control Hydrilla, an aggressive invasive aquatic plant, in the Connecticut River and other water bodies in the state.

• 7/3/2025 DEEP Coordinates Deployment of 20-Person Wildland Fire Crew to Support Alaskan Wildfire Efforts

  (HARTFORD) –Today, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s Forestry Division coordinated the mobilization of a 20-person wildland firefighting crew to assist with wildfire suppression efforts in Alaska.

• 6/30/2025 Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police Announce “Operation Dry Water” Campaign to Halt Boating Under the Influence

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon) will again participate in the “Operation Dry Water” campaign, a national initiative aimed at curbing boating under the influence (BUI). Set to run from July 4 through July 6, this heightened enforcement and awareness campaign targets the dangerous combination of alcohol or drug use while operating a vessel.

• 6/27/2025 Colchester Man Arrested after ATV Crash in Salmon River State Forest

  (Hartford, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police arrested Damon Jansky (DOB 06/29/1993) of Colchester, CT today on charges of Operating an ATV Under the Influence, Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree, Operating An Unregistered ATV, and Illegal Use of an ATV in a State Forest after a single ATV crash within the Salmon River State Forest, East Hampton.

• 6/27/2025 DEEP Seeks Public Input on Draft 2025 Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan

  (HARTFORD) — Do you care about Connecticut’s native wildlife, fish, and plants? If so, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) would love to hear from you! DEEP has drafted an updated Wildlife Action Plan to help guide conservation in Connecticut over the next decade and encourages residents to review the draft Plan and submit comments. Let DEEP know how wildlife and nature matter to you: visit the Wildlife Action Plan Draft webpage for the draft plan and input form. The 30-day public comment period will end on July 27th.

• 6/23/2025 Connecticut and Northeast States Issue   Request for Information to Explore Cost-Saving Transmission Projects

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today joined eight other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states in issuing a Request for Information (RFI) seeking interregional transmission project concepts that would improve grid reliability, support economic growth, and reduce costs for consumers. The RFI was issued by the bipartisan Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission, a group formed in 2023 to fill a gap in today’s interregional transmission planning processes. Through this collaboration, DEEP is working to unlock reliability benefits and cost savings for the state’s ratepayers.

• 6/22/2025 Connecticut Facing First Summer Heat Wave DEEP Forecasts Elevated Levels of Ozone for June 22 and 23, 2025

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is expecting temperatures to reach the mid to upper 90’s beginning Sunday, June 22 and last through Wednesday June 25, 2025. At points during this heat wave heat indices are expected to exceed 100oF. These very hot temperatures will contribute to elevated ozone levels for the southern portion of Connecticut on Sunday and Monday. These levels may approach or exceed Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) levels for these parts of Connecticut.

• 6/18/2025 MEDIA ADVISORY: DEEP Boating Division and No Child Left Inside® Offer Family Boating Day on Saturday, June 21

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Families in the Parks Program and Boating Division will host a free “Family Boating Day” at Indian Well State Park in Shelton from 12:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

• 6/13/2025 DEEP Announces Grant Recipients and New Funding Opportunity for Urban and Community Forestry

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today recipients of 2025 Urban and Community Forestry Planning and Urban Forested Natural Areas and Riparian Corridor Restoration grants. Over $184,000 will be granted to support 11 urban and community forestry projects in Bloomfield, Ellington, Mansfield, New London, North Stonington, Old Saybrook, Ridgefield, Stamford, and Stratford.

• 6/4/2025 DEEP Forecasts Elevated Levels of Ozone for June 4–5 2025

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is expecting temperatures to reach the mid-to-upper 80s (˚F) beginning June 4th, with high temperatures persisting and reaching near 90 on June 5th. These warm temperatures will contribute to elevated ozone levels for western Connecticut and inland areas on Wednesday and continuing from southwest Connecticut to northeast Connecticut on Thursday. These levels may approach or exceed Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) levels for these parts of Connecticut.

• 5/30/2025 Connecticut Greenways Council to Hold 26th Annual Greenway Awards and Kick Off Connecticut Trails Day Events

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Greenways Council (CGC) will host its 26th Annual Connecticut Greenway Awards at Riverfront Recapture’s Boathouse in Hartford on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The event is traditionally held on the Friday before Connecticut Trails Day, which occurs the weekend of June 7 and 8, 2025.

• 5/23/2025 DEEP Highlights Connecticut State Parks as Memorial Day Weekend Kicks Off the Summer Tourism Season

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start to the busy summer parks season, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is highlighting the extraordinary outdoor recreation opportunities our State Parks and Forests have to offer, some of the ways we’re working to improve access and the user experience in our parks, and important things to remember in order to have a fun, safe, summer.

• 5/21/2025 DEEP Announces Alcohol Ban for Nine Recreation Areas

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has imposed a temporary alcohol ban for nine state recreation areas. This ban is in effect from Wednesday, May 21, through Monday, August 18, at the following locations:

• 5/16/2025 Visitors to Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield Can Purchase Advance Parking Reservations for Weekends and Holidays

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) once again will offer an online reservation system for parking at Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield. Parking passes for holidays and weekends may be purchased up to 14 days prior to arrival to help improve the experience for visitors and reduce traffic congestion near the park.