Dear Community,

Thank you for tuning into our October newsletter! There is a lot going on in the environmental justice (EJ) world and we are hoping to bring you the latest events and updates — all in one place. Please submit newsletter feedback and idea topics to DEEP.EJ@ct.gov or the linked form below.  

For this newsletter edition we are spotlighting the newly launched free online risk mapping tool. Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID) announced this new tool to help homeowners and businesses understand their property's exposure to climate change risks, such as flooding, wildfires, and extreme heat.

Connecticut is the first state in the nation to make this comprehensive tool available to all its residents.

Developed in partnership with First Street, the interactive tool allows you to simply enter your address to get a detailed report on specific hazards. The tool can be accessed by visiting portal.ct.gov/cid/resource-library/free-climate-risk-mapping-tool. Click here to read the full announcement. 

Gratefully yours,

Office of Equity and Environmental Justice

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 

• Connecticut’s Sustainability & Resiliency Week, September 28 – October 4: Governor Lamont is hosting Connecticut’s second annual Sustainability and Resiliency Week from September 28 - October 4, 2025. Each day will feature virtual, hybrid, and in-person events hosted by partners from across the state. For events that celebrate the work that is happening across Connecticut please review the Sustainability & Resiliency Week calendar.

• The Connecticut DRAFT 2024 Integrated Water Quality Report is now available for public review and comment until October 14, 2025. This report was prepared by the CT DEEP to fulfill requirements of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) under Sections 305(b) and 303(d). The final documents will be submitted to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) following the Department’s consideration of the comments received.

• DEEP Issues New “Evergreen” Request for Information (RFI) Seeking Ideas to Elevate Outdoor Recreation and Visitor Experiences in CT State Parks: Led by DEEP’s Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences, the Partnership in Parks Initiative aims to elevate outdoor recreation and visitor experiences, expand access to the outdoors, and strengthen Connecticut’s State Parks as tourism destinations. The “evergreen” RFI invites rolling submissions from businesses, non-profits, and other interested stakeholders with ideas for potential partnerships in State Parks. For more information, click here. In addition, DEEP is also seeking direct input from the public and is encouraging individuals to share their perspectives by completing this survey.

CEEJAC NEWS

Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council (CEEJAC) within DEEP, established by Governor Lamont’s 21-3 Executive Order, advises the Commissioner of DEEP on current and historic environmental injustice, pollution reduction, energy equity, climate change mitigation and resiliency, health disparities, and racial inequity. All are welcome to attend and participate in CEEJAC meetings.

Please Join CEEJAC at Our Upcoming Meeting: 

CEEJAC Air & Transportation Meeting: Air Bureau Open House and Community-Based Work
Thursday, October 9, 2025 | 10:45 AM - 1:30 PM
Location: 9 Windsor Ave. Windsor, CT
Registration Link
Download Meeting Agenda

CEEJAC Energy & Technology Meeting: Learn about CT Green Bank (Virtual)
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 2:30 - 4:00 PM
*new date and time*
Register for Zoom Meeting Link
Download Meeting Agenda

CEEJAC Quarterly Meeting (Hybrid)
December 2025 | Time TBD
Location TBD

FEATURED EVENTS

Connecticut Climate Action Planning – Notice of Public Meeting and Opportunity for Public Comment | October 8, 2025 | 12:00 pm – 2:00pm (Virtual)

Help Connecticut shape its path to net-zero by 2050! Join the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s upcoming virtual public meeting to review progress towards the state’s climate goals and proposed strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and share your climate implementation action priorities. Your voice will help build a more affordable, resilient, and low-carbon future for Connecticut.

This meeting will inform the development of a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan funded by the EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program due by July 1, 2026. Learn more about climate planning at Connecticut DEEP: DEEP Climate Change About CPRG Planning Grant Information | US EPA

Imagine a Day Without Water -The Value of Water Campaign | October 16, 2025

Each year, Imagine a Day Without Water invites us to see how crucial our need for water really is by visualizing life without it, just for one day. Very quickly, we learn how indispensable water is in our everyday lives, and how our health, environment, and economy depend on reliable access to clean water. Join with industry leaders, educators, policymakers, business owners, and local advocates to celebrate water and raise awareness that water powers all of us. 

To learn more, click here.

Other Events 

• 10/15/25 (Virtual): EPA Tools & Resources Webinar: PFAS Destruction by a Hazardous Waste Incinerator. Register here. 
• 10/17/25 (virtual): The State Water Plan Outreach and Education Workgroup is hosting a virtual seminar on Water Quality and the Impacts of Drought. To learn more about the workgroup and to register, click here.
• 10/22/25 (Middletown): CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs is hosting a full-day Environmental Justice Convening designed to bring together grassroots organizers, nonprofits, funders, and community leaders working across housing, food and farming, clean energy, and environmental justice. For more information, click here.
• 10/29/25 (Virtual): Navigating Federal Shifts: Building Community Power in Uncertain Times to unpack evolving federal policy changes and share practical strategies. For more information, click here. 
• 11/6/25 (New Haven): Join the Yale Clean Energy Collaborative for the 2025 Yale Clean Energy Conference from Nov 6 - 8, 2025. For more information, click here. 
• 11/13/2025 (Storrs): UConn is holding their fifth biennial Native Plants and Pollinators Conference. Learn how native plants support pollinator health throughout the year. For more information, click here.  
• Save the Date: 11/15/25 (Bridgeport): CT Food Sovereignty Collective is hosting Our Food Our Future to build collective power for regenerative, democratic, interdependent food systems in Bridgeport and throughout the state. More information to come. 

Tribal News

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner recently hosted the Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (TIAC) meeting at HUD headquarters. During the meeting, Secretary Turner announced $220 million in new HUD funding opportunities, including $150 million for the Indian Housing Block Grant Competitive program for new housing development, and $70 million in Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) funds to help Tribes build critical infrastructure and address water and sanitation needs. Read the full announcement here. 

Events 

Image sourced from Institute for American Indian Studies

Author Book Talk and Signing: Grandmother Moon by Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason | October 4, 2025 | 1:00PM

In her debut picture book, Grandmother Moon, Lamb-Cason celebrates the relationship between a grandmother and grandchild, weaving Indigenous teachings into a modern setting. Join us for a special talk and book signing, where she will discuss the importance of oral tradition in Indigenous communities and her process of bringing these stories into written form. The program will include a live reading from Grandmother Moon as well as examples of traditional stories, offering visitors of all ages the chance to reflect on the power of intergenerational storytelling. For more information, click here. 

Emerging from Erasure: Indigenous and Settler Colonial Histories of the Wangunk People — a Symposium | Saturday, October 25, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m

This history symposium, hosted by Wesleyan’s Center for the Humanities, will focus on the Wangunk, the Indigenous people of central Connecticut. The symposium is the first of its kind, given the settler colonial erasure of the Wangunk people and the dearth of historical work on the tribe. The aim is to raise awareness about the importance of the Wangunk story – as one of the numerous Algonquian tribes – especially their place in the Native Northeast and in relation to the Connecticut colony and the state of Connecticut.

We hope to include more Tribal related news, funding opportunities, and resources to include in the EJ newsletter. Please reach out to Danielle Russell (danielle.russell@ct.gov) with any resources you'd like featured. 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

For funding for environmental justice projects around New England, explore the new EJ Funding and Financing Navigator. The tool is available in both sheet and gallery formats, with funder profiles, deadline calendars, and a user guide to help you find the best-fit opportunities for your needs.

• Mid-Oct 2025 Deadline; reviewed on rolling basis: Eversource Energy Foundation provides sponsorships and grants for events and programs to organizations within their service territory. The core focus areas include: community wellness/basic needs; education; clean energy and environmental stewardship; community awareness and engagement; community, economic and workforce development. For more information, click here. 

• 10/15/25 deadline: The Growing Justice Fund support community-led initiatives advancing equitable food purchasing.  In addition, as part of this project, the Fund has developed a guide to help grantseekers find fiscal sponsorship.
  • Eligible entities: Funding prioritizes Tribal, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, and immigrant communities working to secure institutional contracts with schools, hospitals, and other community-serving institutions.
  • Funding amount: $25,000 to $250,000
• 11/3/25 deadline: Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program provides financial assistance to municipalities and nonprofit land conservation organizations to acquire land for open space, and to water companies to acquire land to be classified as Class I or Class II water supply property. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: Municipalities, non-profit land conservation organizations (e.g., land trust), or water companies
  • Funding amount: See Guidelines and FAQ PDF
  • Contact: Allyson Clarke at Allyson.Clarke@ct.gov or (860) 424-3774
• 12/12/25 deadline: EPA Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFT) Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia seeks to fund projects focused on improving solid waste management and recycling infrastructure. For more information, click here. 
  • Eligible entities: Indian Tribes as defined in 33 U.S.C. 4201 and section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, including Alaskan Native Villages and former Indian reservations in Oklahoma. Intertribal consortia are also eligible to apply.
  • Funding amount: $100,000 to $1.5 million per award 
• Extended deadline - 12/14/25: Urban Green and Community Gardens Grant Program provides funding assistance to develop or enhance urban green spaces for public enjoyment and/or environmental education. Promotion of open space in an urban setting may include, but may not be limited to, the development of a community garden or reclaiming and enhancing existing open space for the public's use. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: Municipalities or non-profit organizations with a project site within a Distressed Municipality, Targeted Investment Community, or an EJ Community.
  • Funding amount: Applicants must have funds available or funding sources available for 50% of the anticipated total project cost. See Guidelines and FAQ PDF for more information.
  • Contact: Steven Perry at Steven.Perry@ct.gov or (860) 424-3603
• Rolling deadline: New England Grassroots Environment Fund provides funding for groups launching new projects or starting to significantly change the direction of an existing project.  
  • Eligible entities: Groups doing local, grassroots work in CT, ME, MA, NH, RI or VT. 501c3 status is not required. 
  • Funding amount: $500 - $1,000.  
  • Contact: Tess Beem, tess@grassrootsfund.org. For more information, click here. 
• Rolling deadline: Ben & Jerry's Foundation Grassroots Organizing National Grant Program provides support to community-based, grassroots organizations confronting social and environmental injustice.
  • Eligible entities: 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organizations 
  • Funding: Two-year unrestricted, general operating support grants of up to $30,000 per year, with an average grant size of $20,000 per year, to small (budgets under $350,000), constituent-led grassroots organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories.
  • Contact: Dana Jeffery at info@benandjerrysfoundation.org 802-495-1378. For more information, click here.

FEATURED JOBS

• 10/3/2025: Environmental Protection Maintainer 1; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 10/8/2025: Environmental Protection Forester 1; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 10/14/2025: Office Director (Legal); Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Click here to read past DEEP Equity & EJ Newsletters

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact us at (860) 418-5910 or deep.accommodations@ct.gov if you: have a disability and need a communication aid or service; have limited proficiency in English and may need information in another language; or if you wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint. Any person needing a hearing accommodation may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program or event. 

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