Lamont Boosts CT Climate Fund to $44M for Coastal Defenses

Governor Ned Lamont announced the expansion of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Climate Resilience Fund (DCRF), making up to $44 million available in state and federal dollars for planning, project advancement and construction to bolster communities against extreme weather. Building on the fund's 2023 inaugural round, which awarded $8.8 million to 21 projects across 17 municipalities including shoreline areas, the new opportunity targets vulnerabilities like those in Old Saybrook and Stonington where rising sea levels threaten seawalls and infrastructure. The DCRF, established in 2021 via Executive Order 21-3, aims to position local governments, nonprofits and others to secure federal construction funds.

Coastal Connecticut faces acute risks, with shoreline communities battered by storms and tidal surges. Recent "1,000-year" floods in the Naugatuck Valley caused $300 million in damage, underscoring the urgency as Gov. Lamont noted, "I don’t think we’re winning, I think we’re losing." The expanded fund supports Track 2 project development grants, typically $300,000 to $700,000, for communities ready to scope resilience measures like flood barriers.

In his 2025 legislative package announced January 21, Lamont proposed integrating climate risks into municipal planning for land use, hazard mitigation and evacuation to unlock state and federal aid. Initiatives include clarifying use of municipal reserve funds and town aid roads for resiliency, plus new Resiliency Improvement Districts for community-scale fixes. Applications remain open to municipalities and eligible entities, prioritizing adaptation in flood-prone areas.