Small Business Technical Assistance
Reducing a business's environmental footprint can lead to lower operating expenses and a stronger bottom line.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (CT DEEP’s) small business technical assistance program (SBTAP) serves as DEEP’s primary point of contact for and provides support to small business owners and operators to understand and comply with environmental rules and regulations. Permit assistance is provided by DEEP’s Concierge Team, who will connect small businesses with programmatic information that applies to their operations, related to environmental permitting and compliance. DEEP strongly recommends requesting permit assistance early in the project planning stage through pre-application meetings.
DEEP’s Concierge Team participates in the National Network of Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs. We are also closely connected to DEEP’s Equity and Environmental Justice Office and our sister agencies, such as the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and state licensing agencies, to guide small businesses to the right points of contact. DEEP partners with small business organizations, such as AdvanceCT, Connecticut Innovations, and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.
DEEP and DECD consider small businesses as employing 100 or less.
DEEP’s SBTAP is dedicated to:
- Developing compliance assistance tools to simplify and streamline compliance tasks;
- Conducting outreach through the Concierge Newsletter, social media, videos, factsheets, and webpages, as well as participating in tabling at events;
- Researching ideas to expand the availability of financial assistance when the lack of financing is an obstacle to environmental compliance;
- Arranging meetings with technical staff to provide regulatory assistance;
- Providing input to DEEP staff on the small business impacts of new regulations.
Contact us at DEEP.OPPD@ct.gov.
Jump To:
Permit Assistance | Technical Resources | More Tools
Connecting with Permit Assistance and Concierge Services at CT DEEP:
- Pre-Application Assistance
- Client Concierge Service
- Concierge newsletter sign up
- Compliance Assistance Hub
- Compliance Calendar
Questions about the status of your permit? Contact us at DEEP.OPPD@ct.gov.
DEEP’s Technical Resources for Small Businesses:
- Report Environmental Problems
- Receive technical training about Water, Air, Hazardous Waste, Materials Management, Boating, DEEP/UCONN CLEAR trainings and more with Online Training Courses
- Read information for Hazardous Waste generators
- Find out if your business is subject to the Commercial Organics Recycling Law
- Learn more about Composting and Organics Recycling
- Learn about your business’ Wastewater Discharges
- Learn about ways your business can prevent pollution and save money at DEEP’s Pollution Prevention webpage, including information for breweries, autobody repair, drycleaning, lodging and more
- Learn about environmental conditions at or near your business with the CREST Tool
- Find environmental reports in DEEP’s Online Document eSearch Portal
- Search for properties where releases occurred and track environmental cleanup progress with the Release, Environmental Assessment, and Clean Up Tracker (REACT) [REACT Resources and Instructions]
- Find business opportunities, grants, and financial assistance
- USTs/ASTs
- Name Changes and License Transfers
Questions about compliance, company name changes, or license transfers? Contact us at DEEP.OPPD@ct.gov.
More Tools for Small Businesses:
State and Federal Agency Support
- DECD’s Small Business webpage
- Link to DCP list of licenses
- U.S Small Business Administration-CT District Office is located at 280 Trumbull St, Second Floor, Hartford, Connecticut_DO@sba.gov, 860.240.4700.
- National Network of Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs (National SBEAP)
- National SBEAP's Environmental Compliance Page features the most common small business industry sectors that have regulatory compliance requirements related to air, waste and/or water quality.
- Construction Sector Page
- National SBEAP’s Resources Page features a compilation of short SBEAP-related articles answering common environmental compliance questions.
- CT Building Trades Group point of contact Keith Brothers.
- Supply and Labor Information on CT Open Data Portal:
Not-for-Profit Organization Support
- International Hartford’s Business Education and Coaching Program
- CT Small Business Resources and help for entrepreneurs
- Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) is a national nonprofit that works with chambers of commerce to help businesses prepare for climate impacts and offers a free online climate preparedness toolkit to help business owners understand the climate risks they face and steps that they can take to make their property more resilient.
- Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC) provides no cost, confidential support to help achieve one’s business goals in all industries, at any stage.
- EPA P2 Resources Search enter “Case Studies” in the search bar
- Watch the Pollution Prevention (P2) in Under 2 - Data Monitoring video
- EPA Asbestos and Small Business Asbestos Ombudsman - As required under Section 507 of the 1990 CAA Amendments, state Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs (SBEAPs) partner with EPA in providing regulatory compliance assistance to small businesses. Each month, a different state SBEAP is highlighted in the SmallBiz@EPA to help promote cooperative federalism and the essential compliance assistance services SBEAPs provide around the country to the local small business community. EPA’s ASBO Program has a live hotline 800-368-5888 (M-F, 8:30AM - 4:30PM ET) and via email at asbo@epa.gov.
Content Last Updated August 2026