15-Town Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Underway, Needs Resident Input

MADISON, CT —The South Central Regional Council of Governments is developing a multi-jurisdiction hazard mitigation plan for 15 municipalities in South Central Connecticut. Among those 15 municipalities are Madison, Guilford, North Branford, Branford, East Haven and New Haven.

With involvement from each of SCRCOG’s 15 municipalities and the public, the Hazard Mitigation Plan Update will focus on the identification, assessment, and mitigation of natural hazards such as winter storms, hurricanes, and coastal flooding. The plan will result in a list of mitigation actions or projects each municipality can take to save lives and reduce damages. It will also double as a creditable “floodplain management plan” under FEMA’s Community Rating System.

SCRCOG has received funding from the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security to update the South Central Region: Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan serves as an essential strategy for reducing current and future risks to natural hazards and improving the emergency preparedness in all fifteen municipalities. Updates are required every five years. This update is scheduled for completion in January 2023.

A Regional Plan with Local Focus

Updating the Hazard Mitigation Plan requires involvement from each of SCRCOG’s 15 municipalities and the public. SCRCOG has hired Jamie Caplan Consulting LLC, the author of the two previous versions of this plan, to lead the project update. The update began in April 2022 with a completed plan, ready for public and state review, expected in January 2023.

An Advisory Committee with representation for each municipality has been formed to guide the planning process and facilitate local engagement. This Committee is hosting meetings in each municipality with a diverse group of local leaders to local government staff.

Virtual public meetings will be held in September 2022 and January 2023.

It's asked that folks take the survey and contribute ideas regarding lessening the impact of natural hazards in the region.

Take the survey in English here and in Spanish here.