News Releases - 2025

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• 5/15/2025 DEEP Celebrates National Safe Boating Week

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) joins partners across the country to remind boaters of the importance of safe and responsible boating during National Safe Boating Week. The seven-day campaign will occur May 17 to May 23, the week preceding Memorial Day weekend, which is the unofficial kickoff to the summer boating season in Connecticut.

• 5/14/2025 DEEP Launches New Online Tool to Assist Solar Siting

  (HARTFORD)— The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that it has launched a new online tool that will enable a more transparent and efficient siting and permitting process for large-scale renewable energy projects, while at the same time protecting Connecticut’s environmental and natural resources.

• 5/13/2025 DEEP Acquires 643 Acres in Killingly for New Wildlife Management Area

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that it acquired 642.9 acres of important wildlife habitat and wetlands at 520 Bailey Hill Road, in Killingly, Connecticut with the intent to establish a new Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This significant land purchase marks a major step forward in conserving Connecticut’s natural heritage and expanding passive recreational opportunities for residents and visitors.

• 5/8/2025 Visitors May Now Reserve All-Terrain Wheelchairs to Enjoy the Outdoors at Seven Connecticut State Parks

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is excited to announce the expansion of its All-Terrain Wheelchair Program to seven Connecticut State Park and Forest locations. Five locations were available beginning last fall and starting today, users can make reservations online to use the all-terrain wheelchairs for free beginning June 7 at a total of seven locations.

• 5/8/2025 ADVISORY: DEEP Kicks-Off the 20th Anniversary of the No Child Left Inside® Families in the Parks Program With Free Family Fishing Day May 10th

  (HARTFORD) –The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is pleased to announce that the 20th Anniversary of the No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Families in the Parks Program will begin on Saturday, May 10, 2025, with Free Family Fishing Day!

• 5/7/2025 DEEP Celebrates National Air Quality Awareness Week May 5-9

  (HARTFORD)—To mark National Air Quality Awareness week, which runs May 5-9, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) encourages the public to stay aware of the air quality around you, learn how to protect yourself on poor air quality days, and consider actions you can take to improve your local air quality.

• 5/2/2025 DEEP Issues Request for Proposals (RFP) for Food & Beverage Concessions in Three Connecticut State Parks

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified food service vendors to provide services to the public at existing concession buildings at Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, Lake Waramaug State Park in Kent, and Mount Tom State Park in Litchfield. The Lake Waramaug concession includes a camp store serving the park’s 73-site seasonal campground. The RFP is available on the CTsource Bid Board as solicitation number DEEP04212025MM, and proposals are due May 29th.

• 5/1/2025 DEEP Environmental Conservation Police Celebrate Graduation of the 2025 Ranger Academy

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) celebrated the graduation ceremony for the 2025 Environmental Conservation Police (EnCon) Ranger graduating class on Wednesday, April 30th. Thirty-three recruits successfully completed a 120-hour training academy to become EnCon Rangers. An additional 10 Rangers will return to the field from previous years.

• 4/30/2025 DEEP Reminds Boaters About New Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp Purchasing Requirement

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) today reminds those who operate a motorboat or personal watercraft on Connecticut’s inland waters that they are now required to purchase an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Stamp through DEEP’s online Sportsmen Licensing System or wherever fishing licenses are sold.

• 4/28/2025 Connecticut and Northeast Partners Issue Strategic Action Plan to Advance Cost-Saving Electric Transmission Solutions

  (HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today joined eight other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states in issuing a joint strategic action plan that identifies specific steps that state, regional, and federal policymakers can take to pursue interregional transmission solutions to reduce costs for consumers and make our energy systems more reliable.

• 4/28/2025 DEEP EnCon Police Make Arrest in Fatal May 2024 Candlewood Lake Boating Incident

  (HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that DEEP’s Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police arrested Robert McDonald, 23, of Flushing, New York, for a fatal boating incident that took place on Candlewood Lake on May 29th, 2024.

• 4/25/2025 Amtrak and DEEP Open New Fishing Pier at Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam

  (HARTFORD) – A brand-new pier at Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam is now open for anglers, nature lovers, and other members of the public to enjoy scenic views, fishing, and more. Built by Amtrak and owned by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the permanent pier now provides an alternate fishing location while the Ferry Landing Pier/Boardwalk in Old Lyme is closed to make way for Amtrak’s construction of a new Connecticut River Bridge between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook.

• 4/24/2025 DEEP To Celebrate Arbor Day in Communities Across Connecticut

  (HARTFORD) — The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is celebrating Arbor Day April 25th with communities across Connecticut and invites you to join us at any one of the many events planned around the state. Many municipalities celebrate Arbor Day as part of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City Program. This national program recognizes cities across the United States for their dedication to growing, protecting, and maintaining urban and community forests. Connecticut boasts 24 Tree Cities, 4 Tree Campuses, and 4 Tree City Growth Awards this year. This list includes the Town of Fairfield and City of Stamford, which are tied for first place as the longest-standing Tree Cities in the state at 37 years.

• 4/23/2025 DEEP Asks Residents to Continue to Exercise Caution During Spring Brush Fire Season

  (HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is again advising Connecticut residents to take precautions to help minimize the likelihood of a fire. Spring fire season is underway; DEEP received reports of 40 wildfires from April 14 to April 21 alone, totaling approximately 300 acres. Most fires can be prevented because they are caused by human actions.

• 4/22/2025 DEEP Announces Release of Key Saltmarsh Dataset

  (HARTFORD) — Coinciding with Earth Day, and after more than two years of intensive work, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and its contractor, Vermont-based geospatial technology company Whiteout Solutions, have released a groundbreaking high-resolution dataset capturing over 12,000 acres of coastal saltmarsh and adjoining upland buffer in the state of Connecticut.