State Enacts Alcohol Ban At North Stonington Boat Launch

NORTH STONINGTON, CT — The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has enacted a temporary alcohol ban for the state’s Billings Lake Boat Launch area in North Stonington. This ban is in effect immediately and for the next 90 days, according to a DEEP statement.

The ban is due to "a continued pattern of public trespass and illegal access to off-trail areas on private property and State Forest land, as well as the associated misuse and littering of these areas and the negative impact on other users engaged in legal and responsible recreation," the statement reads.

Since June 2020, DEEP Environmental Conservation Officers and State Police have responded to several disorderly conduct events and assaults at the boat ramp and adjacent properties. Many of these calls for service involved the consumption of alcohol.

"We want our parks, forests, boat launches, and waters to be peaceful, family-oriented places where adults and children can feel welcome and safe," Mason Trumble, deputy commissioner for Environmental Conservation said in a statement. "This measure, combined with continued supervision and education by DEEP staff and officers, will help restore a welcoming and safe atmosphere for all."