DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO CAPITOL REGION COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (CRCOG) 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 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT PRIORITY AND COMPREHENSIVE ACTIONS TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE. CRCOG INTENDS TO USE THIS GRANT TO CREATE A FRAMEWORK FOR A REGIONAL CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON DEVELOPING A PIPELINE OF MUNICIPAL IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS AND FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL CLIMATE POLICY AND OPERATION INITIATIVES.ACTIVITIES:IN GENERAL, ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT, UPDATING, AND EVALUATION OF PLANS TO REDUCE CLIMATE POLLUTION (I.E., TO REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS AND/OR ENHANCE CARBON SINKS). SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDE 1) A GHG INVENTORY; 2) GHG EMISSIONS PROJECTIONS; 3) GHG REDUCTION TARGETS; 4) QUANTIFIED GHG 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.SUBRECIPIENT:THE SUBAWARDS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING; $35,000 IN A SUBAWARD AGREEMENT FOR THE GHG INVENTORY AND QUANTIFIED REDUCTION MEASURES TASK FOR THE HARTFORD-EAST HARTFORD-MIDDLETOWN METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA (MSA); $60, 000 OVER 4 YEARS TO LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (RIVERCOG) FOR CPRG-RELATED STAFF TIME; A TOTAL OF $15,000 OVER 4 YEARS HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO REVIEW NECESSARY SUBAWARD AND CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS RELATED TO THE CPRG PROGRAM. OUTCOMES:THREE KEY DELIVERABLES WILL BE PRODUCED AND SUBMITTED OVER THE COURSE OF THE FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM PERIOD, INCLUDING: A PRIORITY CLIMATE ACTION PLAN (PCAP), DUE MARCH 1, 2024; A COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN (CCAP), DUE TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE AWARD; AND A STATUS REPORT, DUE AT THE CLOSE OF THE GRANT PERIOD. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE A PCAP AND CCAP THAT IDENTIFIES: TONS OF POLLUTION (GHGS AND CO-POLLUTANTS) REDUCED OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE MEASURES; TONS OF POLLUTION (GHGS AND CO-POLLUTANTS) REDUCED ANNUALLY; AND TONS OF POLLUTION (GHGS AND CO-POLLUTANTS) REDUCED WITH RESPECT TO LOW-INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. OTHER EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF CASES OF CHILDHOOD ASTHMA REPORTED, TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ATTENDEES AND RESPONDENTS, THE CREATION OF A REGIONAL CLIMATE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE DELIVERABLE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND THE SUPPORT OF CRCOG MEMBER MUNICIPALITIES WITH COMPETITIVE GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE ALL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THE HARTFORD-EAST HARTFORD-MIDDLETOWN METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA (MSA), WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION PAID TO THOSE LIVING IN LOW-INCOME AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.