Climate Planning

Regional Resilience Working Group

Beginning in 2026, SCRCOG will launch a Regional Resilience Working Group convening municipal leaders, planners, and community-based organizations to advise on regional resilience strategies incorporated into plan updates.

Stay tuned for more information on this initiative!

The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program

SCRCOG coordinates regional planning across our municipalities to address climate-related challenges and opportunities, including reducing emissions, strengthening resilience, and preparing for future risks. Through existing plan updates—such as regional Hazard Mitigation Plans and Plans of Conservation and Development—as well as cross-collaborative working groups, SCRCOG supports local governments and communities in advancing sustainable and resilient practices that improve public health, infrastructure reliability, and long-term economic stability.

In July 2023, SCRCOG was awarded a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) of $1 million through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Established through the Inflation Reduction Act, the CPRG program supports state and metropolitan areas to make and implement plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), with 40% of the benefits flowing to low-income and disadvantaged communities. This four-year grant funds two stages of climate action planning for the New Haven-Milford region: (1) a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) that addresses short term solutions for GHG reduction efforts, and (2) a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) that addresses long term goals. SCRCOG, in collaboration with the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG), the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and SLR consultants have completed both plans outlining a regional greenhouse gas inventory and offering direct solutions for municipalities to improve air quality, create jobs, and ensure the region’s low-income and disadvantaged communities are prioritized.

The CPRG program addresses emissions reductions in six sectors:

Transportation

Energy Production and Consumption

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Industry

Waste Management

Working Lands and Forestry

You can learn more about these sectors here.

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ImpaCT 2045 – a Priority Climate Action Plan

Written in 2023 and 2024, the PCAP is the first major deliverable for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. The PCAP contains an inventory of where greenhouse gases are being created across New Haven County industries and contains a list of our recommended strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. This plan was created with the support of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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ImpaCT 2050 – a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan

Written in 2024 and 2025, the CCAP is the second major deliverable for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. The CCAP contains an extensive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions for the region, projections of emissions toward 2050 based on four scenarios, actions, policies, and strategies municipalities can take to reduce emissions, an analysis of the workforce required to implement these actions, and a review of the costs and funding opportunities to implement reduction measures. This plan was created with the support of SLR, Keramida, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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