extreme weather

This virtual webinar hosted by UConn’s Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) will feature Chris Renshaw, UConn Fire Chief, and Emily Wilson, a Geospatial Educator at CLEAR. This session will focus on increasing wildfire risks in Connecticut and how environmental conditions, climate change, forest health, and development patterns are combining to create heightened wildfire vulnerability across the state.

The speakers will explore Connecticut’s wildfire ecology, recent brush fires, and the role of changing weather patterns and housing density in wildfire spread. Participants will be introduced to an interactive Wildfire in Connecticut Story Map and the CT Wildland Urban Interface/Intermix Viewer through CT ECO, which highlight overlapping risk factors and support planning and prevention efforts. This training is intended for land managers, fire service personnel, elected officials, community planners, and residents seeking to better understand wildfire risks and proactive strategies to protect Connecticut communities.

On October 8, 2025 state and local decision makers, municipal staff, and other interested parties working to address flooding, shoreline erosion and other coastal issues gathered at the Port Jefferson Village Center in Port Jefferson, NY for the 3rd Annual Suffolk County Coastal Resilience Forum. The Forum provided a chance to share information on best practices, discuss challenges, identify opportunities to increase resilience, and enhance coordination across communities. Forum attendees heard updates on State resilience initiatives from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, as well as presentations on new resilience tools and resources from Seatuck Environmental Association, the U.S. Geological Survey, New York Sea Grant, and Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District. In the afternoon, Village of Port Jefferson Mayor, Lauren Sheprow, presented on the Village’s resilience issues and initiatives and then led attendees on a walking tour of the Village highlighting flooding hotspots, challenges faced by local businesses and residents, and efforts to help mitigate flooding and increase community resilience.

The event was hosted by Long Island Sound Partnership and New York Sea Grant, in partnership with the Village of Port Jefferson and Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District. 

The New York State Climate Impacts Assessment explores current and future climate change impacts to New York State communities, ecosystems, and economy. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) assembled more than 250 New York–based, national, and Indigenous climate science experts and representatives from diverse communities and industries across the state to contribute to this assessment. The findings are intended to help residents, businesses, and decision-makers across the state plan and prepare for climate change impacts.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides EPA with $3 billion to fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure as well as climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports. This new funding program will build on EPA’s Ports Initiative that helps our nation’s ports, a critical part of our infrastructure and supply chain, address public health and environmental impacts on surrounding communities. EPA has announced two separate Notices of Funding Opportunities to disburse the allocated $3 billion – the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition AND the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition.