News Releases from Region 01

Connecticut DEEP to Receive $160,000 EPA Pollution Prevention Grant

BOSTON - The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) has been selected to receive approximately $160,000 over two years as one of five Pollution Prevention grants being awarded by EPA's New England Regional Office for the FY2016-FY2017 Pollution Prevention Grants cycle.

Pollution Prevention grants fund programs or projects that measurably reduce the environmental footprints of local and regional businesses through projects that significantly reduce or eliminate pollution from air, water and/or land prior to relying on recycling or waste clean-up. In total EPA is awarding approximately $689,000 for Pollution Prevention grants in New England over the next two years.

"EPA is pleased to support our partner CT DEEP by funding these effective and well-designed projects," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "Our Pollution Prevention Grants reduce pollution at its source, which is the best way to create a cleaner environment and sustainable economy."

CT DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee said, "This grant funding will allow our Pollution Prevention program to provide outreach to a variety of businesses and assist them with everything from eliminating toxic chemicals to being more energy efficient, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. CT DEEP is building strong partnerships with a number of industry sectors, such as hotels, nursing homes, and drycleaners. This new two-year grant will allow us to build on this progress and to continue to assist businesses in Connecticut with finding more sustainable ways of doing business."

Under this grant, CT DEEP's pollution prevention office will conduct five projects:

• Address energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from skilled nursing facilities - CT DEEP will continue its work with its trade association partners, Leading Age Connecticut and the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities, to benchmark, audit, and implement energy efficiency improvements for these facilities. CT DEEP's other partners on the project include the electric gas utilities Eversource and UIL, who along with the Connecticut Green Bank, provide incentives and loans through the state's energy efficiency fund. The strategies employed during the project may include 1) conducting a "roundtable" to meet regularly with nursing facilities, 2) site visits to nursing homes, 3) working with the two trade associations to regularly include energy and environmental information in monthly communications and regular meetings, 4) working with its partners to develop a handout on energy efficiency and pollution prevention opportunities and a sustainability checklist for nursing homes, and 6) identifying creative financing opportunities.

• Provide P2 and climate resiliency assistance to businesses that use toxics - CT DEEP will promote toxics use reduction, energy efficiency, and water conservation to businesses, with a focus on use of safer chemicals at dry cleaning facilities by substituting professional wet cleaning for perchloroethylene ("perc"). CT DEEP will prepare and distribute two to three compliance factsheets for dry cleaners. Partners will include utility companies, the Korean Dry cleaners Association, and the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation. The project will be statewide but focus in floodprone communities and those where environmental justice concerns may be present.

• Publish the "P2 View" and "Your Environmental Connection" newsletters with emphases on climate change case studies and toxic chemical P2 options.

• Conduct a green lodging project to encourage environmental protection and energy conservation at CT hotels – CT DEEP will continue its partnership with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development's Tourism Office to operate the Connecticut Green Lodging Program, a self-certifying program that uses a program guide and checklist.

• Support continuous improvement in P2 sector outreach materials, dissemination and transferability.

More information about EPA's Pollution Prevention Grant Program (www.epa.gov/p2/grant-programs-pollution-prevention)