Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

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. Rocky Neck State Park is also closed until further notice due to a brush fire. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at a 'very high' or 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Concierge Permit Assistance Advisory Committee

Client Concierge ServiceAs part of DEEP’s 20 BY 20 initiative to improve the transparency, predictability, and efficiency of our regulatory processes, DEEP established a Client Concierge Service to help guide applicants through the environmental permitting and review process for complex, multiple-permit projects in a timely manner. The Concierge Service builds on DEEP’s pre-application process and other IT improvements that make it easier for applicants and stakeholders to engage with DEEP programs and processes. (Learn more here: Client Concierge Service Video)

We are thrilled with the response to the Client Concierge Service and are considering how we can continue to evolve this service in ways that will benefit applicants and stakeholders.

In April 2021 DEEP asked for volunteers to serve on an informal Advisory Committee to help us identify solutions to focus on, including improving our permit assistance and user experience for permitting resources on the DEEP website. Fourteen panelists were selected from the pool of volunteers to achieve a balance from the various sectors and experiences, including business representatives, environmental advocates, consulting/engineering, municipalities, and state agencies. The selected panelists are listed below.

The Concierge Permit Assistance Advisory Committee (CPAAC) met virtually once a month from June through September 2021. These meetings/webinars, listed below, were open to the public.

A summary of the suggestions made during the CPAAC sessions can be found in the CPAAC Report Out and will be used to inform further development of the Client Concierge Service and Permit Assistance.

June 22 – Kick off Meeting!

July 20 - New Permit Assistance Webpage and User Experience

August 17 - Assistance with the Permitting Process 

September 14 - Wrap Up & What's Next

Selected Panelists:

Business/Industry

John P. Miller, President/CEO, National Chromium Co. Inc.

Scott Miller, General Manager, Clean Earth, Inc.

Mark Bobman, Executive Director, Bristol Resource Recovery

Gannon Long, Policy & Public Affairs Director, Operation Fuel, Inc.

David Griggs, President/CEO, MetroHartford Alliance

Robert D. Deptula, Supervisor Licensing and Permitting, Eversource Energy

Saranda Belica, Associate Director, Business Development, AdvanceCT

 

Environmental Advocates

Robert LaFrance, Director of Policy, National Audubon Society of Connecticut

 

Consulting/Engineering/Environmental Law

Carla Sylvester, PE, LEP, Blue River Engineering LLC

Sudip Bafna, PE, CHMM, Fuss & O’Neill

Jean Perry Phillips, Pullman & Comley LLC

 

Municipalities/State Agencies

John Cody, Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer, Town of Roxbury

Aicha Woods, City of New Haven

Colin Cooper, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development

 

Please sign up here to receive updates on the Client Concierge Service and Permit Assistance.

You can contact the Concierge Team at DEEP.Concierge@ct.gov.

Content Last Updated January 10, 2022