January 2026

The Resilience Roundup highlights announcements and events along with links to the previous month's state, regional, and national resilience news. 

Learn more about CIRCA at circa.uconn.edu

and the Resilient Connecticut Project at resilientconnecticut.uconn.edu

2025 CIRCA Highlights

As we start a new year, we want to thank all Resilience Roundup readers for staying tuned in! The following are highlights from our Institute's work over the past year:



• Phase III of Resilient Connecticut focuses on community and site scale resilience planning and the development of adaptation strategies and pilot projects. These projects are located in areas that were identified as having vulnerability to climate impacts (during Phase II), where there are opportunities to take action and improve resilience for communities. The CIRCA team and partners completed 7 site specific projects in 2025 in the following municipalities; Portland, Mystic/Stonington, Yantic River Corridor (Norwich, Franklin, and Bozrah), East Haddam, Jewett City, Piper and Webster Brooks Corridor (Newington, New Britain, and Berlin) and East Hartford. Check out the final reports from these projects under “Phase III”.
• CIRCA hosted a Resilience Hub Workshop at Hartford’s Swift Factory, bringing together community leaders, state agencies, and municipal staff to explore how resilience hubs can support emergency preparedness within the state.
• The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) announced six community-based organizations selected for the second round of the Climate & Equity Grant Program. The grantees will advance climate resilience in vulnerable communities across Connecticut—including New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and the Mystic River Watershed—through projects focused on mitigation, adaptation, and education such as community engagement, youth programming, air quality monitoring, and composting initiatives.
• The Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report summarizes the expansion of the Resilient Connecticut program through the regions associated with the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments (RiverCOG), the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SECOG), and the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG). The report outlines regional focus areas, findings from CIRCA’s Phase II vulnerability assessment, and local and site plans developed in Phase III, supporting municipal resilience planning and the state’s resilience project pipeline.
• CIRCA partnered with Connecticut Sea Grant (CTSG) and the Connecticut National Estuary Research Reserve (CTNERR) to release MyCoast, a new pilot project in New London, Groton, and Stonington for reporting coastal events.
• CIRCA partnered with Groton and East Hartford to deploy 27 street-level temperature sensors (15 in Groton, 12 in East Hartford) that collect temperature, humidity, and dew point data every 10 minutes. The project helps communities better understand local heat trends and heat index conditions, with public dashboards available to view past and current summer 2025 data.
• As part of Connecticut’s second annual Sustainability and Resiliency Week, CIRCA hosted theConnecticut Climate Report Update Webinar, providing an evaluation of high-fidelity climate projections against observations from seven locations around the state, offering insight into how global and regional climate trends translate at the Connecticut scale. Updated projections can help practitioners, planners, and decision-makers better understand current and future climate impacts across the state.
• CIRCA researchers published an article in Sustainability titled “A State-Specific Approach for Visualizing Overburdened Communities: Lessons from the Connecticut Environmental Justice Screening Tool 2.0”. Highlighting how CT EJ Screen 2.0 was developed to provide a more accurate and locally relevant assessment of environmental justice concerns in Connecticut.
• “Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) Paper” was published in the journal Geographies titled “Development of a Statewide Climate Change Vulnerability Index for Heat and Flood: A Comprehensive Assessment of Connecticut for Resiliency Planning”, outlining a GIS based approach informed by local stakeholder input and designed to support data-driven resilience planning.
• The annual conference 2025 CIRCA Resilient Connecticut Summit Weathering Change: Building Connecticut’s Resilient Future, was held featuring updates from the Resilient Connecticut project and the Connecticut Climate Report, as well as discussions on how Connecticut can better adapt to evolving policy and funding.

Announcements

Governor Lamont Announces Funding To Establish New State Program Helping To Make Energy Efficiency Upgrades at Existing Homes

Governor Ned Lamont, chairman of the State Bond Commission, announced that the commission voted at its meeting this morning to approve an allocation of $18 million in bond funding that will be used to establish the Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving Loan and Grant Fund – a new state loan and grant program that will assist in making energy efficiency upgrades at existing single-family and multi-family homes and helping residents generate savings on energy bills. Administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), this program will be used to help with the retrofitting costs of items such as the installation of more efficient heating and cooling equipment, building envelope upgrades, and other similar items that produce energy savings. The program will build on the success of DEEP’s most recent barrier remediation program, the Residential Energy Preparation Services program, which recently utilized all its available funding, removing hazards in dozens of homes, clearing the path for money saving efficiency upgrades.

Grants

Long Island Sound (LIS) Resilience Planning

Support Program (3rd Round)

Expressions of Interest: December 1, 2025 - January 30, 2026

A third round of the Long Island Sound (LIS) Resilience Planning Support Program opened December 1, 2025. Up to $1.5 million is available. The program provides planning support to advance resilience-focused projects by matching communities within the LIS Coastal Boundary across NY and CT with qualified contractors to assist with assessing local environmental risks, conceptualizing project ideas, and conducting preliminary planning efforts. The support is provided at no cost to the communities and no match is required!

USDA: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants

 in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

Application Deadline: Rolling

This program supports rural communities, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island that need help preparing for or recovering from an emergency that threatens safe, reliable drinking water. Eligible areas are rural towns with populations of 10,000 or less, tribal lands in rural areas, or colonias with household incomes below the state’s non-metro median. Funding may be used for waterline repairs, new wells, treatment plants, or other improvements to restore or secure water supplies. Applications are accepted year-round through your local USDA Rural Development office or online.

EPA Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants

for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia

Application Deadline: January 11, 2026

The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant program will assist local waste management authorities by supporting improvements to local post-consumer materials management, including municipal recycling programs, and assisting local waste management authorities in making improvements to local waste management systems.

DEEP Climate Resilience Fund

Application Deadline: January 15, 2026

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is accepting applications for the next round of the DEEP Climate Resilience Fund. DEEP is making available up to $44 million in state and federal funds to support planning, project advancement, and construction to help Connecticut’s communities build resilience to extreme weather. This opportunity is open to municipal governments, local public utilities, non-governmental organizations, Tribal nations, and other eligible entities. See the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for additional information on funding categories and eligibility. As part of this effort, DEEP also released a draft request for proposals to identify energy resilience projects that can reduce the likelihood and duration of occurrences of disruptive events.

EPA: FY 2026 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment,

and Cleanup Grant Competition

Application Deadline: January 28, 2026

EPA's Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLR) is soliciting applications from eligible entities for Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup Grant funding. These Brownfields Grants allow more vacant and abandoned properties to be turned into community assets that can attract jobs and promote economic revitalization in communities.

Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund

Application Deadline: February 5, 2026

The Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund (LISSF) is a competitive grant program seeking proposals to restore and protect the health and living resources of Long Island Sound. The funders are interested in empowering communities of all kinds (particularly communities typically underrepresented in environmental programs and projects) to access, improve, and benefit from Long Island Sound, its waterways, and surrounding lands. Up to $400,000 is expected to be available for grants in 2026. The most competitive proposals will incorporate multiple values including sustainability, resilience, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

U.S. DOT: Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage

Development (BUILD) Grant Program

Application Deadline: February 24, 2026

The U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact. The eligibility requirements of BUILD allow project sponsors, including state and local governments, counties, Tribal governments, transit agencies, and port authorities, to pursue multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional projects that are more difficult to fund through other grant programs. 

Climate Smart Communities Initiative

Application Deadline: March 12, 2026

The Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) is pleased to announce the launch of the 2026 CSCI grants opportunity for US-based climate resilience projects. CSCI awards provide funding and technical assistance to advance community-based climate resilience in US communities or regions that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The total grants budget is $1.5-2 million, and grants typically range from $75,000 to $115,000 based on the scope of work proposed in the application. CSCI anticipates awarding between 16-20 grants for the 2026 cycle.

Red Flag Warning: Understanding Connecticut’s Wildfire Ecology, Forest Health, and Planning for a Changing Future

January 15, 2026

Speakers: Chris Renshaw, UConn Fire Chief & Emily Wilson, UConn CLEAR

Bringing together extensive knowledge about wildfire, firefighting, and natural resources in Connecticut, UConn Fire Chief Chris Renshaw discovered overlapping conditions that show how Connecticut could suffer a similar fate to Maui, Hawaii, where a surprise and devastating wildfire caused destruction and loss of life. A new story map and map viewer explain the overlapping conditions of fire ecology, forest health, changing weather, and housing density, and compare them to recent brush fires across the state. During the webinar, Chris and Emily will explain the situation through the story map and discuss what Connecticut fire departments and residents can do. A must attend for land managers, elected officials, and fire service personnel. Find the Wildfire in Connecticut Story Map and the CT Wildland-Urban Interface/Intermix Viewer on the CT Wildland Fire section of CT ECO: Fire Map to find out more.

Sustainable CT Featuring CT DEEP: Informational Webinar

on the Community Renewable Energy Siting Tool (CREST)

January 20, 2026 1:00 p.m.

In May, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) launched a web-based tool to assist with the potential siting of solar projects and further the goal of increasing our state’s supply of zero-carbon energy. The Community Renewable Energy Siting Tool (CREST) provides free access to 35 layers of state, federal, and institutional data – demographic, forestry, geology, land use, water, wildlife, and more – that can be used by municipal planners, solar developers, conservation organizations, members of the public, and others to visualize where renewable energy best fits into Connecticut’s diverse landscape. Learn more about CREST and how to use it from the creators of the tool at DEEP.

State Plane Coordinate System 2022: What's to Come

January 29, 2026 1:00 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Thomas Meyer, NGS CT State Geodetic Co-Coordinator, Professor of Geodesy, University of Connecticut

The US National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will re-design the national State Plane Coordinate System with the release of our new national reference frame, the North American Terrestrial Reference Frame 2022 (NATRF 2022). In this webinar Dr. Thomas Meyer will show the differences of the new system and the one we use today, SPCS83, show some example coordinates in the new system, and offer some thoughts about what to expect from the changes.

WestportREADS: The Real Impact of Climate Change

on Connecticut Shores

February 12, 2026 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Speaker: James O’Donnell, UConn Professor of Marine Sciences &

Executive Director of CIRCA

Location: The Trefz Forum, The Westport Library 20 Jesup Road, Westport, CT 06880

In this year's WestportREADS selection, All the Water In the World by Eiren Caffall, much of Manhattan is under water due to melting glaciers. Before real life follows fiction, there are ways we can reduce the chances of warming trends. Expanding on this concept is Executive Director of CIRCA (the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation) James O'Donnell, who will be at the library to share facts about the effects of climate change on the water levels of the Connecticut shoreline and Long Island Sound.

Atlas of Inspiration Database

The Atlas of Inspiration is a national database that highlights real projects helping communities adapt to extreme weather, flooding, heat, and sea-level rise. It showcases innovative infrastructure, planning strategies, and funding approaches that can be adapted or scaled by other communities. The Atlas is designed to celebrate successful ideas and give decision-makers examples they can use when seeking state or federal funding.

UConn-led Project Promotes Climate-Resilient Coastal Communities

UConn Today - December 15, 2025

Funded by a $500,000 NSF grant, the two-year initiative spearheaded by researchers at UConn-based Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) will ensure coastal communities have access to the expertise and tools needed to develop and implement strategies and policies that make them more resilient to the effects of extreme weather and climate change. Rising sea levels, intensifying storms, and increasing flood risks are impacting coastal communities of the northeastern United States in unprecedented ways. The magnitude of projected sea level rise in the region is among the largest of any in the world, threatening millions of Americans and billions of dollars in infrastructure.

CT Puts $28.2M Toward Brownfield Cleanup with Eye on Housing

CT Mirror - December 17, 2025

The latest round of grants will help clean up contaminated properties around the state, and support an estimated 857 new housing units. Hundreds of blighted properties in Connecticut remain abandoned, unable to be used due to lingering pollution and contamination. As the properties languish, economic development officials have made rehabbing these sites a chief area of focus in recent years, announcing millions in funding to support redevelopment. That trend continued on Wednesday, as the state announced some $28.2 million in grants to help clean up 16 contaminated properties in several municipalities across the state. In all, the projects will help remediate more than 200 acres of land. 

Trump gutted climate rules in 2025.

He could make it permanent in 2026.

E & E News by Politico - December 17, 2025

President Donald Trump spent 2025 dismantling EPA’s regulatory architecture in an effort to prevent future administrations from reining in greenhouse gas pollution. Next year will begin to show if it’s a winning strategy. The president carried his view that climate change is a make-believe issue of the left into his second term by directing EPA to weaken or erase a slate of rules aimed at reducing warming pollution from cars, power plants and oil fields. In response, the agency fired off proposals in record time to gut Biden-era regulations while reversing long-held authorities for governing greenhouse gases like the endangerment finding and emissions reporting for industry.

The Resilience Roundup highlights CIRCA's presence in the news, provides links to recent local/state/national news articles related to resilience and adaptation, and announces upcoming events and seminars.

The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation's (CIRCA) mission is to increase the resilience and sustainability of vulnerable communities along Connecticut's coast and inland waterways to the growing impacts of climate change and extreme weather on the natural, built, and human environment. The institute is located at the University of Connecticut's Avery Point campus and includes faculty from across the university. CIRCA is a partnership between UConn and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP).