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.  

This edition spotlights the recent Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council (CEEJAC) Quarterly Meeting on September 16th! 

We had a great meeting hearing from our new Council Co-Chairs, Acting Commissioner Emma Cimino and Cierra Patrick from City of Groton. The Council also presented their Draft Bylaws for adoption and the use of a new template for Subcommittees to track their work. We ended the meeting with a presentation of DEEP's Draft Triple Impact Solutions and breakout sessions discussing gaps and barriers. 

If you are interested in submitting additional written comments about the Triple Impact work, please email DEEP.ClimateChange@ct.gov. Comments were due September 30, but please reach out if you would still like to submit comments.

All resources from the meeting can be found on our website and are linked below

Download Meeting Agenda
Watch Meeting Recording
Download Meeting Notes
Download Presentation Slides

Gratefully yours,

Office of Equity and Environmental Justice

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 

The Draft 2026 Integrated Water Quality Report (IWQR) Public Notice has been posted. The Public Comment Period is open now until November 1st, 2026. A public meeting will be held on October 6th at 1:00 p.m. Comments must be submitted in writing and directed to Rebecca Jascot at DEEP.IWQR@ct.gov on or before November 1, 2026. Please use subject line "DRAFT 2026 IWQR Comments.". For more information, click here.

DEEP Seeks Broad Public Input on Development of Connecticut's Next Comprehensive Energy Strategy. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) issued a request for public comments on the key strategic questions DEEP should examine in the state’s next Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CES). CES examines Connecticut’s future energy needs, consider policy strategies to meet those needs, and identify opportunities to reduce costs for ratepayers, ensure reliable energy, and mitigate the public health and environmental impacts of the state’s energy use, including greenhouse gas emissions and criteria air pollutants.

DEEP and New England States Announce collective selection of new clean energy projects totaling 102.4 megawatts of new solar generation. The projects were selected pursuant to a February 11, 2026, Requests for Proposals (RFP) from DEEP seeking cost-effective zero-carbon resources to support an affordable and reliable electricity supply while advancing Connecticut’s greenhouse gas reduction requirements and broader energy and environmental goals. The RFP was conducted in coordination with Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont to maximize savings and reliability benefits to ratepayers by sharing costs between states and ensuring procurement of affordable and reliable new zero-carbon electricity. All selected projects must begin delivering electricity by the end of 2032, with project schedules designed, where applicable, to meet eligibility deadlines for federal tax credits and other federal support. DEEP is still evaluating the nuclear proposals submitted in response to this RFP and will make an announcement about those projects at a later date. For more information, click here. 

CEEJAC and the State's Open Space Watershed Review Board are seeking Environmental Justice Community Representatives to join. Both of these councils and boards help shape the state's progress on environmental justice. If you have questions, please reach out to Sarah.Huang@ct.gov or Lindsay.Suhr@ct.gov.

The Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity (CWCSEO) Affordability Survey is now live and open to all Connecticut residents. Your responses will help inform our policy work related to ensuring access to food, housing, healthcare, childcare, transportation, and utilities for all Connecticut residents.

Complete the Affordability Survey in English:
CWCSEO Affordability Survey – English

Nuestra Encuesta sobre Asequibilidad ya está disponible y está abierta a todos los residentes de Connecticut. Si desea ayudar a orientar nuestro trabajo de políticas públicas para garantizar el acceso de todas las personas a alimentos, vivienda, atención médica, cuidado infantil, transporte y servicios públicos, tómese unos minutos para completar nuestra encuesta en español.

Complete la Encuesta sobre Asequibilidad en Español:
Encuesta de Costo de Vida de CWCSEO – Español

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 Meetings: 

CEEJAC Quarterly Meeting (Virtual)
Wednesday, December 16, 2026 | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Register for Meeting

FEATURED EVENTS

Digital Inclusion Week | October 4-10  
Digital Inclusion Week highlights the importance of having a reliable laptop. From applying for jobs, accessing healthcare, completing schoolwork, or connecting with friends and family, a laptop can help make the most of online resources. 
Laptop ConneCT is helping to expand access to technology by connecting eligible residents with laptops through participating libraries. If you or someone you know could benefit from having a reliable device, visit portal.ct.gov/DEEP-laptopconnect to learn more about Laptop ConneCT or check with your local library to see if they are loaning devices!

Integrated Water Quality Report Public Meeting | October 6 | Virtual
A Public Meeting to discuss the draft 2026 Integrated Water Quality Report to Congress. Comments must be submitted in writing via email DEEP.IWQR@ct.gov by 11/1/2026. For more information, click here. 

Connect & Catalyze: Statewide EJ Convening | October 14 | Hartford
This one-day statewide convening aims to bring together community leaders, nonprofit organizations, advocates, funders, researchers, government partners, and technical assistance providers working to advance environmental justice across Connecticut. For more information, click here.

Heat Pump 101 Community Session | October 19 | Swift Factory, Hartford
A representative from the Energize Connecticut℠ Heat Pump Support Team will provide an approximately 45-minute presentation covering how heat pump technology works, how it could be applied in your home, the benefits and considerations, and an overview of available incentives. There will also be time for questions following the presentation. This is a FREE community session, and we want to make it informative and engaging. Refreshments will be served, and attendees will have an opportunity to participate in a gift card raffle. For more information, click here. 

Other Events 

• 10/3/26: Women Rock the Future Hike at East Rock in New Haven. For more information, click here. 
• 10/3/26: Invasive Plant Removal at Hamden Town Center Park. For more information, click here.
• 10/28/26: Long Island Sound Coastal Resilience Forum & Field Trip Tour in Suffolk and Nassau, NY. For more information, click here.

Tribal News

Tribal Events

Indigenous History Hike at Lover's Leap State Park | October 10 | 10AM
Join IAIS and Bridgewater Land Trust for a guided hike exploring more than 12,000 years of Indigenous history at Lover’s Leap State Park, with a special welcome from Darlene Kascak (Schaghticoke Tribal Nation). For more information, click here.

Indigenous Peoples Day Weekend | October 10 & 11 | 11AM - 4PM | IAIS
Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day Weekend at IAIS with museum and village tours, educational activities, and opportunities to learn more about Connecticut’s Indigenous history and vibrant contemporary cultures. For more information, click here.

Centering Indigenous Voices in Public Health with Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon | Sunday, October 24| 1PM | IAIS
Join Mohegan public health researcher Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon for a presentation and discussion about culturally grounded approaches to healing and her work with the Sunrise Healing Community. For more information, click here.

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. 

For DEEP grant programs, explore DEEP's Grants and Financial Assistance page. 

For opportunities available for Tribal communities, explore Department of Energy's Office of Indian Energy Funding Opportunities.

• 10/9/2026 deadline: PROTECT Competitive Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity is to fund projects to improve the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: states, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, federally recognized Indian Tribes, public transportation agencies, port authorities, and Federal Land Managing Agencies when applying jointly with a state or group of states.
  • Funding: up to $60,000,000
• 11/6/2026 deadline: DEEP's 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, and water companies
  • Funding: based upon the fair market value 

• 11/18/2026 deadline: DOE's Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), which helps coastal, remote, and island communities develop more affordable, reliable, and secure energy systems through strategic energy planning support and deep-dive technical assistance. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: federally recognized Tribe, or a community with fewer than 50,000, within 50 miles of a coastline, or located on an island.
  • Funding: Technical assistance and up to $ $50,000
• 11/20/2026 deadline: Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF) provides technical and financial assistance to communities for addressing environmental issues and to improve the quality and accessibility of the Long Island Sound. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: non-profit organizations, Tribes, state, county, and local governments, and their subdivisions, and academic institutions.
  • Funding: Typical awards of $5,000 to $100,000
  • Contact: Shahela Begum, LISCIF Program Director;  sbegum@estuaries.org. 
• 12/4/2026 deadline: DEEP's Urban Green and Community Garden Grant Program provides funding assistance to develop or enhance urban green spaces for public enjoyment and/or environmental education. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: distressed municipalities, targeted investment communities, registered non-profit organizations, and municipalities that are an environmental justice community.
  • Funding: UCGC is a reimbursement matching program; grant funds can cover up to 50% of the total project cost.
• 01/22/2027 deadline: EPA's 2026 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grant Program for approximately $180 million under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program and solicits applications from eligible entities to incentivize and accelerate the upgrade or retirement of the nation’s legacy diesel engine fleet. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: A regional, state, local agency, Tribal agency, port authority, school districts, municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), cities, counties, and applicable nonprofits.
  • Funding: up to $12,000,000
  • Contact: dera@epa.gov
• Rolling deadline: Solar Moonshot Program Grant is helping 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations across the United States make the switch to clean energy. Grant priority is given to solar projects that have additional funding sources and community support. For more information, click here.
  • Eligible entities: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
  • Funding amount: up to $25,000
• 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. For more information, click here. 
  • 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

FEATURED JOBS

• 10/6/26: Environmental Analyst 1; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 10/7/26: Research Analyst Supervisor; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 10/15/26: Fiscal/Administrative Assistant; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 10/15/26: Associate Research Analyst; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 10/16/26: Research Analyst; 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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