Press Releases
02/23/2026
DEEP Notifies Municipalities of Snow Removal and Disposal Guidance
Commissioner Dykes is Invoking Her Authority to Allow In-Water Disposal of Snow By Municipalities and Other Governmental Entities Until Further Notice
(HARTFORD)- Today, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes notified governmental entities that DEEP is providing additional flexibility for municipalities and other government entities to utilize in-water snow disposal options. Due to the extraordinary winter conditions being experienced across the state resulting from the ongoing blizzard, DEEP is offering this flexibility to governmental entities including towns and state agencies to ease snow disposal challenges that may pose a threat to public safety. This additional flexibility will allow towns to more easily clear road access for emergency vehicles, and will prevent negative impacts from blocked drainage infrastructure, like localized flooding.
Governmental entities who have determined that extraordinary circumstances exist where all upland, land-based disposal options have been fully exhausted (i.e., disposal capacity is not available) and snow needs to be removed to meet public safety demands (i.e., clear access ways for police, emergency medical and fire responders), may use certain waterways for snow disposal in accordance with DEEP’s guidance, which includes additional guardrails. This guidance can be found at https://portal.ct.gov/deep/water-regulating-and-discharges/guidance/snow-removal-guidelines.
Towns and other government entities seeking to use this option are required to notify DEEP's Water Permitting and Enforcement Division by submitting this survey: https://forms.office.com/g/NjjWSGCQ50 (preferred) or via email (deep.waterpermittingenforcement@ct.gov) before disposing of snow and ice in waterways. If advance notification is not possible, then contact the Department as soon as possible after beginning snow disposal.
You can find further information on the notification requirements at https://portal.ct.gov/deep/water-regulating-and-discharges/guidance/snow-removal-guidelines. Towns and other governmental entities should also use the above email address to contact the Department with any questions.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110