Unlike the devastation caused by August’s historic flooding, flood control efforts are not always visible and can be a tough sell to the public, state officials said. To counter those challenges and others, state and municipals officials recently called for information from councils of governments and the public on ways to shore up their infrastructure before another catastrophic weather event using the Climate Resilience Fund. Dykes was joined by members of several council of governments, DEEP staff, educators, and municipal leaders at the site of the Meriden Green resilience project, a 14-acre flood control initiative that used natural features capable of withstanding severe flooding events. Part of the project meant joining three brooks, removing narrow or bent culverts and channel deepening and widening. The city also built a submersible amphitheater and purchased a steel and concrete bridge to move people from one side of the city to the train station should flooding prevent car travel. DEEP wants to know ways it can potentially use state bond funds to structure a Climate Resiliency Revolving Loan Fund, which was authorized by the legislature in the 2024 session. This fund is for low-interest loans to municipalities and private entities for infrastructure repairs and resiliency projects in response to unplanned climate events.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/recordjournal/article/deep-flooding-resilency-fund-meriden-green-19807511.php