Dear Community,

Thank you for tuning into our February 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 highlighting DEEP's Environmental Justice regulations update. 

Between 2024 – 2025, DEEP kicked off stakeholder workshops to seek feedback as the agency drafts regulations pertaining to the environmental justice statutory amendments from 2023. Throughout 2025, DEEP hired a consultant, Industrial Economics, Inc. based in Boston, MA to develop the new Cumulative Impacts Tool, which will provide transparency and accessibility for industry and community stakeholders to implement key permit requirements for cumulative impacts assessments.

Additionally, DEEP has been working with the consultant to understand different methodologies for how to calculate cumulative impacts that would work best for stakeholders in Connecticut. With this foundation in place, DEEP will resume public meetings to workshop regulatory concepts and stakeholder working groups with industry and community advocates.

And lastly, DEEP will be convening a Mapping Advisory Committee, composed of state agencies, academic institutions, relevant stakeholders, and researchers to advise DEEP in identifying appropriate datasets and methodologies for calculating cumulative impacts.  

• Webpage: Environmental Justice Law Regulations Development 
• Email List: Get the latest from Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 

Gratefully yours,

Office of Equity and Environmental Justice

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is seeking a Community Liaison to assist in improvement of public access, recreational use and educational activities for current and future visitors of Rocky Neck State Park. For more information, click here.

In January 2026, DEEP issued its newest Draft for Public Comment Connecticut's Climate Progress Report. The state of Connecticut has set several climate-related goals. DEEP tracks progress toward meeting these goals and has published a number of reports on the progress made in reducing statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over specific years. The public comment submission deadline is at 5 pm, Friday, February 6, 2026. To learn more, click here.

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 Quarterly Meeting (Virtual)
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Register for Meeting Link

CEEJAC Quarterly Meeting (In-Person)
Date & Time TBD
Waterbury, CT

CEEJAC Quarterly Meeting (In-Person)
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Location TBD

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

FEATURED EVENTS

Branching Out Together Conference 2026 | March 18 | New London 
Connecticut’s three leading organizations in arboriculture and urban forestry will be co-hosting a one-day conference at Connecticut College in New London on March 18th, 2026. For the agenda and more information, click here.

Yale's Financing and Deploying Clean Energy Certificate program | Application Deadline: April 20th
This 10-month online program designed to train professionals with cutting-edge expertise in policy, finance, and clean technology. The key objective of this program is to grow a powerful network of clean energy experts at the forefront of our energy transition, and help professionals understand the interplay of the financial, technological, and socioeconomic drivers in financing and deploying clean energy. For more information, click here. 

Other Events 

• 2/6/26 (Virtual): Just how "thirsty" is Artificial Intelligence? This event, presented by the Yale Center for Industrial Ecology, will systematically review the technological and thermodynamic drivers of data center water demand. The talk is virtual and is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.
• 3/23/26 (Boston): Foundations of Sustainable Materials and Recycling course explores the history and evolution of recycling, dynamics of materials markets, and key industry terminology. For more information, click here.

Tribal News

Larry Pemberton Jr. becomes first Native American elected to CT General Assembly. Pemberton, representing the 139th House district of Norwich, Ledyard and Montville, is a member of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation. To learn more, click here.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has named Eric Mahroum as the new Director of Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs as of Jan. 12, 2026. For more information, click here. 

Events 

2026 Tribal Energy Webinar Series | Feb. 12 & March 12 & 18
DOE's Office of Indian Energy will be hosting its 2026 Tribal Energy Webinar Series. Quarterly webinars will focus on three themes: Unleashing Tribal Energy Resources, Tribal Energy Program Review Mini-Series, and Creating the Enabling Framework to Advance High-Value Energy Projects. These webinars will give participants information to advance Tribal energy development and foster peer-to-peer learning. For more information, click here. 

• February 12: Beyond Land Leases: Harnessing Data Centers for Tribal Economic Development
• March 12: Office of Indian Energy Program Review Mini-Series: Alaska Energy Focus
• March 18: Successful Power Project Development Best Practices

Snow Snake Workshop and Live Snake Meet and Greet | February 28
Institute for American Indian Studies is hosting a woodworking workshop to create your own snow stake stick used in the traditional winter game practiced by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois). Join Susan Scherf, educator with the Institute for American Indian Studies and an expert wood crafter, for one of two workshops filled with whittling good fun. If weather permits, join in a friendly competition following the workshop. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Colleen Harrak from White Memorial Conservation Center will bring several live snakes from their Education Collection to IAIS to visit with program participants. 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. 

• 3/12/26 Deadline: Climate Smart Communities Initiative provides funding, expertise, training, and other resources to help communities advance climate resilience plans and projects, with a focus on frontline and climate-vulnerable communities. 
  • Eligible entities: Communities facing significant impacts from climate change-related hazards
  • Funding amount: $75,000 to $115,000
  • Contact: info@climatesmartcommunity.org. For more information, click here.
• 3/25/26 Deadline: Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development – Round 23 provides financial and technical assistance to municipalities and economic development agencies as well as brownfield owners and potential developers.
  • Eligible entities: Individual/Landowner, Local Government Entity, Nonprofit/501(c)3 Organization, State Agency
  • Funding amount: $200,000-$6 million depending on grant type
  • Contact: brownfields@ct.gov. For more information, click here. 
• 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

• 2/4/2026: Air Pollution Control Engineer 3; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 2/4/2026: Skilled Maintainer; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 2/4/2026: Environmental Trainee; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• 2/5/2026: Environmental Conservation Police Colonel; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 
• 2/6/2026: Community Liaison; The Nature Conservancy - Rocky Neck State Park
• 2/10/2026: Division Director; Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 
• Until filled: Programs Manager; Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed
• Until filled: Volunteer and Intern Program Manager; Save the Sound

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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