The DEEP is organized into three main branches and the Office of the Commissioner:
- The Energy Branchincludes the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) – formerly the Department of Public Utility Control – which reviews rates for electricity, water, cable television and other utilities as well as a Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy, which develops forward-looking energy efficiency, infrastructure and alternative power programs.
- The Environmental Quality Branchis comprised of the Bureaus of Air Management, Materials Management and Compliance Assurance, and Water Protection and Land Reuse. These bureaus protect the air, land and water resources of the state by regulating air emissions, wastewater discharges and solid and hazardous wastes. Tools used include the development of regulations, policies and standards; permitting and enforcement; air and water quality monitoring; and public outreach and education.
- The Environmental Conservation Branchconsists of two bureaus. The Bureau of Natural Resources is charged with managing the state’s natural resources (particularly fish, wildlife, and forests) through a program of regulation, management, research, and public education. The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation is charged with the conservation and management of statewide recreation lands and resources through the acquisition of open space and the management of resources, including state parks, to meet the outdoor recreation needs of the public.
- The Office of the Commissioner, including the Offices of Chief of Staff, Planning and Program Development, Information Management, Adjudications, Environmental Justice, and Legal Counsel, provides administrative management, staff assistance, and ancillary service to aid the Commissioner and Bureau Chiefs in their efforts to carry out the mission of the agency. In addition, the centralized Bureau of Financial and Support Services provides a wide array of services including financial management, human resource management and purchasing.
The overarching goals of the agency are to:
- Integrate energy and environmental policies and programs in a more systematic, proactive and coherent manner to provide a better structure for decision-making and to build a sustainable and prosperous economic future.
- Bring down the cost of electricity to make Connecticut more competitive, promote energy efficiency, and encourage the development and use of clean energy technologies.
- Unleash a renewed spirit of innovation for pollution control, conservation of natural resources, and management of Connecticut’s parks and forests.