CT DEEP Issues a New General Permit for Its Remediation Program

On October 20, 2025, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) issued a new general permit for its environmental remediation program. The new general permit allows for contractors to register with the CT DEEP as an “Existing Release Response Contractor,” which enables them to remediate existing (historical) impacted soil.

As opposed to an individual permit, this general permit will allow for a quicker and more cost-effective permitting procedure for both the department and the applicant.

General Permit Information

The new general permit states that “the registrant may act as a contractor to contain, remove, or otherwise mitigate releases through the remediation of soil impacted by certain releases, including saturated soil below the groundwater table” provided that the site/historical release meets the following criteria:

• The site is enrolled in a Brownfields program, listed on the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL), or is being remediated in accordance with section 22a-133f of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS).
• The historic releases at the site are being investigated, remediated, or mitigated in accordance with the appropriate sections of the CGS.

Several activities are not authorized by this general permit, including:

• Conducting any activities that require authorization through an individual permit, as outlined within section 22a-454 of the CGS.
• Remediation of any soil or sediment that contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at a concentration greater than 10 parts per million (ppm), or that resulted from a release from a PCB source that is regulated by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
• Mitigation of any active spill, discharge, seepage, etc. of petroleum or other chemical waste is not permitted through this general permit, and would require an individual permit.

Any person that does not hold an individual permit and wants to be included as an existing release response contractor must register for coverage under the general permit. Permittees that fail to comply with the conditions set forth within the general permit and are found to be in violation can face legal action, and can potentially be fined up to $25,000 per day per violation.

How Walden Can Help

If you are a contractor or individual that needs help applying for coverage under the CT DEEP Registered Existing Release Response Contractor General Permit, Walden’s team of experts in environmental permitting and regulatory program compliance can help you with the application process and requirements. Contact us today at 516-744-5863 to speak with a consultant.