HARTFORD -  Nominations for official state greenway designations are being accepted by Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Greenways Council through May 1.

The nomination form is available as a word document or a PDF. The preferred method for submission of completed nomination forms is by e-mail to  digital photos and maps are preferred (digital photos of hard copy maps are acceptable).Laurie.Giannotti@ct.gov;

Nominations may also be submitted on CD or other electronic storage device and can be mailed to Laurie Giannotti - CT DEEP, 79 Elm Street, Hartford CT 06106-5127.

Greenways are an integral part of any community, offering recreational opportunities, supporting economic development, providing alternate transportation options, and helping to preserve the environment.

"Greenways can make a community a more attractive place to live by connecting living spaces with the environment, and they preserve history and cultivate town pride," said DEEP Commissioner Robert Klee. "It is the hope of the Connecticut Greenways Council that the designation process will help in the development, enhancement, and preservation of those places that mean so much to the people in the communities they serve."

An official designation by the Greenways Council recognizes a greenway as an open space that not only meets the definition of a greenway, but also enhances the community and is supported by local government initiatives. Designated greenways, both for recreation and resource protection, will be listed in a subsequent revision of the State Plan of Conservation and Development and may receive increased consideration for a variety of grants.

Connecticut General Statues define a greenway "a corridor of open space that (1) may protect natural resources, preserve scenic landscapes and historical resources or offer opportunities for recreation or nonmotorized transportation, (2) may connect existing protected areas and provide access to the outdoors, (3) may be located along a defining natural feature, such as a waterway, along a man-made corridor, including an unused right-of-way, traditional trail routes or historic barge canals or (4) may be a greenspace along a highway or around a village." (CGS section 23-100)

There are currently 68 designated greenways in Connecticut.

The Greenways Council will evaluate all nominated greenways for consistency with designation criteria. Those selected for designation will be announced by the Greenways Council in conjunction with its National Trails Day event in June.

For more information visit ct.gov/deep/greenways.