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

Green Remediation

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greener Cleanup Standard Initiative works to improve the environmental outcome of site cleanups.  Greener cleanups can minimize the environmental footprint of site remediation by reducing the impact to energy, water and natural resources.
EPA's core elements of a Greener Cleanup include:
  • minimizing total energy use and maximizing the use of renewable energy
  • minimizing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
  • minimizing water usage and impacts to water resources
  • reducing, reusing, and recycling material and waste
  • protecting land and ecosystems by minimizing habitat disturbance
EPA recently signed a memorandum entitled “Consideration of Greener Cleanup Activities in the Superfund Cleanup Process” that strongly encourages the use of best practices (such as the ASTM Standard Guide for Greener Cleanups [E2893] BMPs) and/or footprint analysis (such as EPA’s Spreadsheets for Environmental Footprint Analysis) in all phases of the remediation process.
 
EPA Region 1 Clean and Green Policy for Contaminated Sites - applies to all cleanups performed by EPA or under EPA oversight through Superfund, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action, Underground storage Tank (UST), and Brownfield programs. Region 1 promotes this policy in state cleanup programs.
 
The ASTM Standard for Greener Cleanups can complement state regulatory cleanup programs and accommodate for each phase in the investigation and remediation process. Please note that in using this ASTM, the environmental professional should evaluate the current standard of care and applicability to Connecticut's Remediation Standard Regulations.

Guidance for Green Remediation in Connecticut

Although not required by regulation or statute in Connecticut, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection encourages the use of green and sustainable remediation (GSR) practices in conducting site investigation and cleanup. The use of green best management practices (BMPs) can produce economic benefits and better environmental outcomes. The following Programs align with GSR practices:

Resources

Please note that in using these resources, the environmental professional should evaluate the current standard of care and applicability to Connecticut's Remediation Standard Regulations.

Contacts

Julianne Pardi Sammut
EPA Region I
Green Remediation Liaison
Sammut.Julianne@epa.gov
617-918-1426

Kathleen Woodward
EPA Region I
Green Remediation Liaison
Woodward.Katherine@epa.gov
617-918-1353

Content Last Updated November 12, 2021