CT launches expanded initiative to increase community climate resilience

Connecticut recently launched the second round of the initiative aimed at helping communities receive federal aid for climate change resilience projects.

Katie Dykes, commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said it would help cities and towns find the 25% needed to qualify for federal matching funds.

“Municipalities may be looking at some ideas that they’ve had in mind but haven’t decided to apply for because they don’t have the cash,” Dykes said in a meeting with municipal leaders from around the state.

“So let’s try to make sure that’s not the problem. Because we want the feds to cover 75 percent of the expenses, we want to bring this money to the state,” he said.

DEEP’s move comes after flash flooding devastated parts of southwestern Connecticut last month.

He said state officials want towns and cities to accelerate plans for resiliency projects because Congress and the Biden administration have increased federal matching funds from $25 million a year to more than a billion dollars.

DEEP awarded the first round of climate change resilience funds last year, providing more than $8 million to help launch climate change resilience projects in 17 communities across the state.

Prior to this, the government had funded the construction of 10 microgrids to provide backup power to critical facilities.