This agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to south central regional council of governments (SCRCOG) to develop or update existing regional climate mitigation plans to…

This Cooperative Agreement, awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CFDA 66.046) program, provides $999,479 in funding to the South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) to develop or update regional climate mitigation plans for the New Haven-Milford, CT metropolitan area. The key products and services to be delivered include: 1) a greenhouse gas inventory, emissions projections, and reduction targets; 2) quantified greenhouse gas reduction measures; 3) a benefits analysis for the full geographic scope and population, with a focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities; and 4) a review of implementation authority and a plan to leverage other federal funding. SCRCOG will sub-award $275,000 to the University of Massachusetts Amherst to assist with various aspects of the climate action plan development, including mapping low-income and disadvantaged communities, analyzing the greenhouse gas inventory, and establishing emissions reduction goals and scenarios. The award period runs from July 14, 2023 to July 14, 2027.

Description

This agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to south central regional council of governments (SCRCOG) to develop or update existing regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduction measures throughout the entire metropolitan area and to conduct meaningful engagement with low- income and disadvantaged communities and coordinate with geographically proximate tribes as appropriate. Specifically, the recipient will develop a priority climate action plan (PCAP), comprehensive climate action plan (CCAP), and status report for the new haven-milford CT metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses 27 municipalities. This work will build upon existing emissions inventories and climate plans at the state and municipal level by creating a robust regional climate strategy. SCRCOG plans to conduct extensive stakeholder engagement in order to ensure that impacted communities (especially low-income and disadvantaged communities) will have meaningful involvement in the development of this project and benefit from its outcomes. Activities:in general, activities include the development, updating, and evaluation of plans to reduce climate pollution (i.e., to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or enhance carbon sinks). Specific activities include 1) a greenhouse gas inventory; 2) greenhouse gas emissions projections; 3) greenhouse gas reduction targets; 4) quantified greenhouse gas reduction measures; 5) a benefits analysis for the full geographic scope and population covered by the plan; 6) a low-income and disadvantaged communities benefits analysis; 7) a review of authority to implement; 8) a plan to leverage other federal funding; and, 9) a workforce planning analysis. SCRCOG plans to work collaboratively with the university of massachusetts amherst's center for resilient metro areas and the networks for accessibility, resilience and sustainability laboratory (NARSL) during the first phases of this project, engaging doctoral students in this process. SCRCOG will also work with naugatuck valley council of governments (a regional planning organization with jurisdiction in part of the new haven-milford CT metropolitan statistical area) to conduct extensive public engagement outreach work. Subrecipient:SCRCOG will subaward $275,000 to umass amherst for work on the PCAP and CCAP deliverables. The center for resilient metro-regions and professor OKE of the umass engineering department will be completing the following: - map the region's low income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACS) using tools made available by the EPA. - explore additional environmental justice and vulnerable communities not captured in federal analysis to be included in stakeholder engagement and plan recommendations. - analyze the greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory with a focus on identifying lead emissions by sector, creating reduction goals and future projections. - develop a comprehensive engagement strategy for public participation for CCAP focused on LIDACS. - establish outputs and outcomes in collaboration with other CT recipients of cprg funds. - create a methodology for the benefits analysis that will be used for CCAP. - establish reasonable reduction goals for the next ten years. - create scenarios to understand how to meet reduction goals. - contribute to the development of cprgct.ORG by uploading deliverables, relevant articles, and information relevant to the cprg program - map the region's low income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACS) using tools made available by the EPA. - explore additional environmental justice and vulnerable communities not captured in federal analysis to be included in stakeholder engagement and plan recommendations. - analyze the GHG inventory with a focus on identifying lead emissions by sector, creating reduction goals and future projections. -