Infrastructure

Established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program aims to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters. Funding is available for planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk costal infrastructure. Projects selected under this program should be grounded in the best available scientific understanding of climate change risks, impacts, and vulnerabilities, and should utilize innovative and collaborative approaches to risk reduction, including the use of nature-based solutions.

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development (OBRD) announced multiple funding availability notices under Round 20:

1. Municipal Grant Program – Remediation & Limited-Assessment (up to $4M)
2. Municipal Grant Program – Assessment-Only (up to $200K)
3. Targeted Brownfield Development Loan Program (up to $4M)

The total funding amount available for all Round 20 notices is $25 million.

The Fifth National Climate Assessment is the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses. It is a congressionally mandated interagency effort that provides the scientific foundation to support informed decision-making across the United States.

The Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, available through the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and US DOT, makes awards on a competitive basis for projects that reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.

The permitting process for shoreline modification projects is complex and it can be daunting to know where to begin. Check out New York Sea Grant’s NEW Guide to Permitting Shoreline Modification Projects in New York’s Tidal Waters for an overview of the process informed by federal, state, and local perspectives. It is intended for permit applicants using the New York State Joint Application for shoreline construction or modification, ranging from major to minor projects such as construction of floating docks, installing natural and nature-based features, bulkhead repair, development near a wetland, dredging, and invasive species removal.

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 New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) is pleased to announce the availability of $60 million in grant funding through the inaugural round of the Green Resiliency Grant (GRG) program under the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022 (Bond Act). The new program will prioritize grants to flood-prone communities and help them undertake innovative green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, green streets, and permeable pavement.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

Congressionally Directed Spending requests, also known as Community Project Funding or Earmarks, are funding requests for high-impact, Connecticut-based projects that can be completed with assistance from the federal government. The project must meet the eligibility requirements for at least one of the accounts listed.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program is a competitive program that provides funding to states, federally recognized Tribal governments, U.S. territories, and local governments. Since the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 was signed into law, funds are used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program will support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The BRIC program’s guiding principles are to support communities through capability and capacity building, encourage and enable innovation; promote partnerships, enable large projects, maintain flexibility, and provide consistency.

EPA is accepting applications on a rolling basis for $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding available to support community-driven projects that build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges, strengthen their climate resilience, and advance clean energy.

Connecticut EJ Screening Tool is an interactive resource that combines both community and data-driven approach that incorporates environmental burdens and demographic indicators. This map allows users to explore the environmental health and the conditions (socioeconomic and or other distinguishing community characteristics) within a specific region, town, city, and or entire state.

The data included in this map finalize into a score that allows users to understand the relationship between the community and environmental justice. Through the presentation of this information, citizens and policymakers alike can understand what communities are experiencing and form policies that reshape these matters.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA’s) Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework, 3^rd Edition, is a guide and collection of resources for use in analyzing the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on transportation infrastructure. Its purpose is to identify key considerations, questions, and resources that can be used to design and implement a climate change vulnerability assessment. The processes, lessons learned, and resources outlined in the framework are geared toward state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other agencies involved in planning, building, or maintaining the transportation system. It includes suggestions and examples applicable to a wide range of applications, from small qualitative studies to large, detailed, data-intensive analyses. The resources included in the framework will be added to and updated over time.

Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online (CT ECO) is the collaborative work of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)  and the University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) to share environmental and natural resource information with the general public. CT ECO’s mission is to encourage, support, and promote informed land use and development decisions in Connecticut by providing local, state and federal agencies, and the general public with convenient access to the most up-to-date and complete natural resource information available statewide.

CT ECO includes a variety of online maps and tools for viewing Connecticut’s environmental and natural resources as well as high resolution aerial imagery, elevation data, and land cover. The Advanced Map Viewer provides flexibility to turn on and off layers of the map.

To better understand how Connecticut’s coastal area marshes and roads may respond to sea level rise (SLR), Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) was applied to Connecticut’s shoreline by Warren Pinnacle Consulting, Inc. This viewer displays the model’s results for Connecticut’s 21 largest marshes and all coastal area roads. For marshes, SLAMM was run two hundred times using alternative model inputs for key model parameters, including various SLR scenarios, to produce probability based results of likely future marsh conditions. For roads, the model uses a single SLR scenario of about 4.2 feet by 2100 from the base year of 2002. The Sea Level Rise Effects on Roads and Marshes projects is a project between CT DEEP and UConn CLEAR.

The LINAP Embayment Water Exchange Study looked at how water exchange practices could affect the nitrogen impairments in embayments. A water exchange practice changes the amount, speed, or direction of water moving through an area. The results of the study show that water exchange techniques are not effective in large waterbodies like most of Long Island’s embayments. Often, the physical size of the water exchange practice is small compared to the large waterbodies to which they are applied, which means their impact is limited. Water exchange projects may be useful, however, for smaller Long Island waterbodies, where the volume of increased water exchange approaches the volume of the overall waterbody. The goal of the study was to provide communities with basic information on water exchange practices suitable for Long Island.

Clean Water Act Section 604(b) Water Quality Planning Grants fund regional comprehensive water quality management planning activities as described in Section 604(b) of the federal Clean Water Act. 604(b) funds are to be used for water quality management planning activities, such as determining the nature, extent and causes of point and nonpoint source water pollution problems, and developing plans to resolve these problems.

DEC typically issues a Request for Applications (RFA) every 3-5 years and awards funds to multi-year projects.

The State’s Regional Economic Development Council Initiative helps drive regional and local economic development across New York State in cooperation with ten Regional Economic Development Councils (“Regional Councils”). Capital grant funding is available for capital-based economic development projects intended to create or retain jobs; prevent, reduce or eliminate unemployment and underemployment; and/or increase business or economic activity in a community or Region.

The BRIDGE NY Program provides enhanced assistance for local governments to rehabilitate and replace bridges and culverts on public highways/roadways. Particular emphasis will be provided for projects that address poor structural conditions; mitigate weight restrictions or detours; facilitate economic development or increase competitiveness; improve resiliency and/or reduce the risk of flooding. Priority consideration may also be given to projects that provide benefits to Environmental Justice Communities.

The Drinking Water Source Protection Program (DWSP2) is a locally led, state-supported program that empowers municipalities to take action to improve and protect their public water sources and surrounding environment. Communities accepted into the program are provided free technical assistance to develop their own unique DWSP2 plan, leading to actionable steps the municipality can take to protect their drinking water sources now and into the future.

The Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) program provides competitive grants to help municipalities fund critical wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. The program demonstrates New York State’s nation-leading commitment to upgrading water and sewer systems, reducing water pollution, and safeguarding vital drinking water supplies from emerging contaminants and toxic chemicals.

The Intermunicipal Grants (IMG) program is available for both drinking water and wastewater projects that serve multiple municipalities, such as a shared water quality infrastructure project or the interconnection of multiple municipal water systems.

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program provides grants to municipalities along New York’s coasts or designated inland waterways to advance the preparation or implementation of strategies for community and waterfront revitalization through the following grant categories: 1) Preparing or Updating a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), 2) Updating an LWRP to be more Resilient to Climate Risk,s 3) Preparing an LWRP Component, including a Watershed Management Plan, and 4) Implementing a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program or a completed LWRP Component.

Grants are available to help municipalities with median household income requirements to develop engineering reports so they can be prepared to seek financing to help them complete their wastewater, sewer and water quality projects.

The NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides interest-free or low-interest rate financing for wastewater and sewer infrastructure projects to municipalities throughout New York State. A variety of projects are eligible for financing, including construction or restoration of sewers and wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater management, landfill closures, as well as habitat restoration and protection projects. There are several different types of financing available to clean water project applicants. EFC provides both short and long-term financing, interest-free or low interest to accommodate municipalities of all population sizes with varying financial needs. When communities repay their financings, it allows EFC to finance new projects and the funds “revolve” over time.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) provides financial assistance for drinking water projects. Examples include, but are not limited to treatment plants, distribution mains and storage facilities. EFC provides both short and long-term financings to accommodate communities of all population sizes with varying financial needs. Interest-free financing and grants may be available to qualifying communities with demonstrated financial hardship. The DWSRF is administered jointly by EFC with the State Department of Health. EFC administers the financial aspects of the DWSRF.
When communities repay their financings, it allows EFC to finance new projects and the funds “revolve” over time.

The Suffolk County Water Quality Improvement Division works to protect and improve Suffolk County’s ground and surface waters. The WQPRP provides funding to protect and restore surface and groundwater resources throughout the County. Funding is available for both planning/ engineering and construction expenses.

Through the Clean Water Fund, CT DEEP is able to provide grants and low-interest loans for infrastructure projects to meet clean water needs such as addressing combined sewer overflows, nutrient pollution, wastewater collection infrastructure needs, and projects using green infrastructure and addressing resiliency.

Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund is an innovative program that provides fast, flexible funding and support for engaging your community on wide-ranging sustainability projects. Eligible projects receive dollar-for-dollar matching funds from Sustainable CT.

Grants are awarded for projects that address Nonpoint Source impacts in surface waters including creation and implementation of approved Watershed Based Plans.

The Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) will foster economic development in historically underserved communities across Connecticut. CIF will provide a total of up to $875 million to eligible municipalities as well as not-for-profit organizations and community development corporations that operate within them.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

This year, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s Recreational Trails Program will make $10 million available to improve Connecticut’s trail infrastructure, which has seen significant usage increases since the onset of the pandemic. This grant program aims to help support communities managing the trail usage increases that have endured as more residents and visitors become familiar with the more than 2,500 miles of multi-use trails and greenways that crisscross the state.

The Connecticut Society for Women Environmental Professionals Grant Program provides funding for local projects in Connecticut that benefit the environment. Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded. Any application meeting the grant guidelines that is not successful in one cycle may reapply during any following cycle. The applications will be judged based on the environmental benefits of each project, in comparison to others. “Environmental benefits” can vary widely and successful applications have ranged from property clean-ups to environmental education.

The Green Fund seeks innovative proposals from committed organizations and individuals for activities that advance our mission which is to promote environmental quality, public health and equity in our community by providing grants and other incentives that contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future and reduce air, water and land pollution.

The Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) will foster economic development in historically underserved communities across the state. CIF will provide a total of up to $875 million to eligible municipalities as well as not-for-profit organizations and community development corporations that operate within them.

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development (OBRD) announced funding availability under Round 18. The purpose of the Municipal Grant Program as per C.G.S Section 32-763, is to provide grants for brownfield remediation and redevelopment. OBRD has also simultaneously announced the availability of funding under the Targeted Brownfield Development Loan and the Assessment-only Grant Program.

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a competitive program that supports the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. Through creative problem solving and innovation, CIG partners work to address our nation’s water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges, all while improving agricultural operations.

Nearly $85 million in funding is available for fish passage and tribal capacity building under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This funding will support U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and tribal organizations in implementing fish passage work and building tribal organizational capacity.

The Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program is a competitive program that provides funding to states, federally recognized Tribal governments, U.S. territories, and local governments. Since the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 was signed into law, funds are used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program will support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The BRIC program’s guiding principles are to support communities through capability and capacity building, encourage and enable innovation; promote partnerships, enable large projects, maintain flexibility, and provide consistency.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) will be seeking proposals to restore the health and living resources of Long Island Sound (Sound) with approximately $12 million in funding in 2024. The program is managed by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Long Island Sound Study (LISS). Major funding is from EPA through the LISS with additional funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Avangrid Foundation.

With support from the Nature Conservancy and Sustainable CT, East Haddam organized a Community Resilience Building process and workshop, the results of which were compiled into this summary. The team engaged with community members to determine the present hazards and vulnerabilities and identify resilient solutions.

In 2019, the City of Norwalk secured a LIS Future Fund grant to install green infrastructure in the Webster Street Parking to reduce the impacts of stormwater on the Norwalk River and Harbor and mitigate local flooding of surrounding businesses through the installation of four different types of infiltration and bio-retention structures:
1) Underground infiltration systems.
2) Retention basins and curb inlet planters in eight different areas.
3) Porous pavement with storage in two areas.
4) Infiltration gutters and tree filters in two other areas.

The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and Village of Sea Cliff completed subwatershed improvements at Scudders Pond to address stormwater drainage problems impacting the water quality of the pond and Hempstead Harbor, highlighted as a priority in the 1998 Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan. The improvements included dredging the pond, installing a hydrodynamic separator to intercept sediment, removing invasive Phragmites australis and replacing with native plants, realigning the stream to reduce erosion, redirecting the stormwater from residences to the bioswale, creation of a biofilter wetland area, replacement of the weir between the upper and lower ponds and weir at Shore Road.

This comprehensive study and plan, funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Long Island Sound Futures Fund, identifies initial strategies to maintain and enhance the local watershed resources of Crab Meadow. It is meant to be a land management tool to guide the implementation of best practices. The plan was developed in consultation with many partners and stakeholders.

Seatuck and the Greentree Foundation, in association with Cameron Engineering, initiated the Long Island Water Reuse Roadmap and Action Plan to catalyze the implementation of water reuse on Long Island and ensure that the strategy plays a larger and more meaningful role in safeguarding the region’s drinking water and surface water resources.

The New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual provides designers with a general overview on how to size, design, select, and locate stormwater management practices at a development site to comply with State stormwater performance standards.

ReduceFloodRisk.org was developed by the Association of State Floodplain Managers to help property owners and buyers in flood prone areas identify strategies to reduce their properties risk of flooding.

Developed by The Nature Conservancy, this tool identifies priority road-stream and tidal crossings in Suffolk County for replacement or upgrades. Prioritization is based on social and ecological criteria. Additionally, it includes data on current and future projected flooding and marsh extent under various sea level rise scenarios. The tool is meant to be a screening tool for planning efforts.

The River Revival Project Map is a GIS-based map that identifies every river and stream in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. It also identifies the tributaries where river herring runs are known to exist, and shows all existing, planned or proposed connectivity projects on the island. The map is intended to be a tool to engage citizens in the restoration of rivers and streams in their communities.

Resources and information on Suffolk County’s Reclaim Our Water Initiatives and Septic Improvement Program. Through the Septic Improvement Program homeowners can access grants from New York State and Suffolk County to replace their cesspool or septic system with a nitrogen removal septic system and leaching structure.

Sustainable CT provides a wide-ranging menu of resilience best practices, opportunities for grant funding, and a voluntary certification program that recognizes thriving and resilient CT communities. Municipalities choose Sustainable CT actions, implement them, and earn points toward certification.

The Superstorm Sandy Review Task Force conducted an in-depth review of the preparation for and response to Superstorm Sandy in Suffolk County by government agencies, first responders, nonprofits and private sector entities to determine which measures were effective and what actions must be taken in the future to increase resiliency and improve response to extreme weather events.

The Suffolk County Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan serves as a county-wide roadmap for how to address nitrogen pollution through wastewater upgrades and other nitrogen pollution mitigation strategies. It was developed in collaboration with numerous project partners, stakeholders, and technical experts, and is the product of rigorous, science-based evaluations.

This Story Map was developed to provide an overview of the Westchester County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) to facilitate county-wide access to the plan. The Westchester County HMP was developed to provide a roadmap to resilience by identifying hazards affecting the county and its communities.

Contains guidance documents and information on coastal permitting from the State of Connecticut.

Guidance for coastal property owners, buyers, contractors, or real estate professionals to understand if a shoreline structure, construction, or repair requires a permit.

These community profiles are intended to be used by municipal officials and planners working to make their communities more economically, environmentally, and socially resilient. Includes datasets related to FEMA disaster and non-disaster funding, flood insurance claims, social vulnerability, and other community stats.