May 2025

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

Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report

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 provides an overview of the Resilient Connecticut 2.0 regions of focus, summarizes the regional vulnerability assessment conducted by CIRCA across the three COGs (Phase II), and highlights the local and site plans that were developed in Phase III. This work was supported by the State of Connecticut as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with the goal of facilitating resilience planning for Connecticut municipalities and identifying projects for the state resilience project pipeline. Click HERE to view the Resilient Connecticut 2.0 Synthesis Report and click HERE to view the webpage with the report and all the associated appendices.

New CIRCA Culverts and Climate Resilience Factsheet

CIRCA has released a new fact sheet highlighting the role of culverts in managing stormwater and enhancing climate resilience. As climate change intensifies rainfall and flooding, properly designed and maintained culverts are essential for protecting infrastructure and ecosystems. This fact sheet outlines best practices for culvert design, emphasizes the importance of considering future climate projections, and provides guidance for municipalities and planners to improve flood resilience. View the factsheet HERE.

Resilient Yantic River Community Conversations

May 21, 2025, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Location: Otis Library, 261 Main Street, Norwich



Residents of Norwich, Bozrah, and Franklin are invited to a public open house to discuss potential strategies for reducing flood risk along the Yantic River corridor. This project focuses on long-term climate resilience for a region that has faced repeated flooding and dam safety concerns. As an environmental justice community with high social vulnerability, Norwich is a key focus for developing inclusive, forward-looking solutions. Attendees can drop in anytime, explore informational stations, and attend a 6:00 PM presentation on the project’s goals and findings. Register HERE.

Announcements

Update on FEMA Ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program

On April 4, FEMA announced it is ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. This decision ensures that grant funding aligns with the President’s Executive Orders and the direction of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem. As the program is concluding, the Fiscal Year 2024 BRIC funding opportunity has been canceled. No submitted applications will be reviewed, and no funds will be awarded. FEMA is working to develop a new, more responsive approach to disasters that meets state and local requirements, achieves clear mitigation goals and results in more timely funding obligations.

Grants

FEMA: Flood Mitigation Assistance - Swift Current

Application Deadline: May 5, 2025

The Fiscal Year 2024 Swift Current program provides $500 million to mitigate NFIP-insured properties with repetitive or substantial flood damage after a major flood disaster declaration between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025. Eligible projects include property acquisition and demolition or relocation, structure elevations, dry floodproofing, retrofitting, mitigation reconstruction, and, new for FY24, Project Scoping (up to 1% of the state set-aside or 5% for tribes/territories). Applications must be submitted through FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO). The eligibility period starts 60 days after a disaster declaration, with funding available on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Local governments submit subapplications on behalf of property owners to their state, tribe, or territory, while tribes applying directly submit to FEMA. Pre-application support is available for project development, cost estimates, Benefit-Cost Analysis, and environmental review. For assistance, contact the FEMA GO Help Desk at 877-585-3242.

NOAA Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities

Proposal Deadline: May 12, 2025

NOAA is offering $20 million in funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support coastal habitat restoration and climate resilience efforts in tribal and underserved communities. This competitive grant aims to fund community-driven projects that enhance ecological health, strengthen resilience, and build local capacity for restoration initiatives. Of the total funding, 15% is specifically allocated to U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and organizations representing tribes through legal agreements. Award amounts range from $75,000 to $2 million, with typical funding between $250,000 and $1 million. Proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern time on the deadline.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s

Long Island Sound Futures Fund

Application Deadline: May 29, 2025

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) is now accepting proposals to restore the health and living resources of Long Island Sound. Managed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in collaboration with the U.S. EPA and Long Island Sound Study, the program funds projects that advance the goals of the 2020–2024 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. Funding is available across three themes: Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds, Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife, and Sustainable and Resilient Communities. Grants range from $50,000 to $1.5 million depending on project type, with a minimum 50% nonfederal match required.

Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven: Homeowners’ Disaster Relief Workshop

May 6, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m

In person or virtual

Join the Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven for an important session on the growing risks of climate change for homeowners in Greater New Haven—and learn about three key programs that can support you in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

This class will introduce Access to Resources for Climate Change (A.R.C.C.), an initiative focused on raising awareness about climate and disaster risks and connecting communities with available support for disaster recovery.

Featured Speaker:

Vanessa Brown, Climate Change and Disaster Relief Consultant for A.R.C.C., and author of the CTLawHelp.org Disaster Assistance Guide—Connecticut’s first statewide resource for residents navigating climate impacts and disaster recovery.

CLEAR: Connecticut’s New Very High Resolution Tidal Marsh Datasets: What they are and How to Access. 

May 15, 1:00 p.m.

This 45-minute webinar, the second in a two-part series, introduces free and open source GIS tools. It will cover how to choose the right applications, access public data, and perform basic spatial analyses using QGIS. Attendees will learn about reliable, powerful alternatives to commercial GIS software, ideal for nonprofits, small businesses, land trusts, and local governments. The session will focus on mapping and analysis needs using public datasets such as elevation and parcel data from Connecticut and federal sources.

Climate Central: Coastal Risk Finder



Developed by Climate Central’s Sea Level Program, Coastal Risk Finder offers localized flood projections and insights into what’s at risk in U.S. coastal communities. The tool provides data and graphics for states, counties, cities, towns, and legislative districts across the contiguous U.S., with more regions to be added. Users can explore potential impacts, identify vulnerable populations and infrastructure, and access downloadable resources to support local adaptation and outreach efforts. The platform also features briefs on coastal adaptation efforts, highlighting policies, projects, and organizations addressing flood risks. Accompanying user guides help navigate the tool and apply it effectively for planning and communication.

​How a UConn Student Is Using AI to Help Map Connecticut's

Beaver Den

CT Insider - April 6, 2025

Evan Zocco, a Ph.D. candidate at UConn, is using artificial intelligence and drone technology to map beaver dams across Connecticut. His research, part of the Connecticut Beaver Site Mapping Project, analyzes aerial imagery to track how beaver activity transforms landscapes over time. This work helps landowners and environmental managers balance the ecological benefits of beaver wetlands with the risks of flooding.

Changing Climate: Boys & Girls Club of Milford plants Living Shoreline

NBC CT - April 7, 2025

The Connecticut shoreline is taking a hit more often, year after year, as we feel the impacts of rising sea levels. As a result, a group of students is choosing to do something about it. Several members of the Boys & Girls Club of Milford have put more than a thousand native plants into the ground to combat flooding and erosion. The Charles Wheeler Marsh, nestled along the Housatonic River and Long Island Sound, is subject to the effects of climate change -- mostly rising sea levels.

CT Says It Will Stand Tough If Trump

Comes for Its Climate Change Policies

CT Mirror - April 11, 2025

Connecticut leaders have pledged to defend the state’s climate policies in response to a new executive order from former President Trump targeting state-level environmental actions. Governor Lamont and Attorney General Tong criticized the order as ideologically driven and reaffirmed Connecticut’s commitment to reducing emissions and protecting public health. The state remains part of the U.S. Climate Alliance and is prepared to take legal action if necessary.

Exploring the Future of Connecticut Public Transit

CT Public Radio - April 29, 2025

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently stated that the Trump administration will be prioritizing transportation funding to states that require “local compliance or cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.” In April, the Connecticut Department of Transportation held it’s 2025 Transportation Showcase. Today, we listen back to the panel discussion, where we explored how public transit could impact small business growth and the future of federal infrastructure funding in Connecticut.

A Seaport Museum Faces an Unlikely Threat: The Sea Itself

The New York Times - April 22, 2025

As an institution devoted to telling the story of the sea, the Mystic Seaport Museum has an inherently close relationship with water. Sitting along the Mystic River in southeastern Connecticut, its campus spans 19 acres and nearly 150 structures, including exhibition spaces and a re-creation of a 19th-century New England coastal town. Along the museum’s waterfront, it has an active seaport and a marina where roughly 900 boats dock annually. The Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, or CIRCA, estimates that levels will rise 20 inches by 2050. Rising sea levels are forcing the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut to address the long-term sustainability of its campus.

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).