| | | | Drone footage from a Stamford flyover | | PUBLISHED! The Priority Climate Action Plan | | The Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) has been published and submitted to the EPA. The plan provides an initial list of climate measures which enables WestCOG, MetroCOG, and their member municipalities to apply for EPA’s CPRG Implementation Grant Program which seeks applications by April 1st 2024. See the PCAP, explore the CPRG Implementation Grant, and learn more on our continued planning process by clicking on the buttons below. | | | | | Public Comment Period: Draft 2025-2028 TIP | Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG), as host to the Housatonic Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (HVMPO) and South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (SWRMPO), is opening a public comment period for the draft 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The draft TIP is being updated and will be considered for endorsement at the HVMPO and SWRMPO meeting on April 18, 2024. It is being circulated beforehand to ensure that community concerns are properly included. In accordance with the WestCOG Public Involvement Plan, HVMPO and SWRMPO is initiating a public comment period which will begin at noon March 1, 2024 and conclude at noon on April 1, 2024. Also considered for endorsement are the CT Department of Transportation (CTDOT) draft Air Quality Conformity Determinations for Ozone and Particulates.
For more information on the draft documents, public meetings, and how to submit comments- please visit the WestCOG website: | | | Regional Firearm Training Facility | | The Regional Firearm Training Facility project is now convening the Newtown Working Group with Newtown municipal staff to develop details for construction costs, site preparation, and governance model to build the firearm facility. Plans to tour a prefabricated range are in the works, and strategic funding opportunities are being explored. Once total cost estimates are established, WestCOG will work with partner communities and departments to go over financial details. visit the WestCOG website to read more on the project.
For more information on the Regional Firearm Facility Project contact Mike Towle at mtowle@westcog.org or 475-323-2064. | | | Connecticut Brownfield Networking Event | Friday April 5th, 2024 from 3:00 - 5:00 pm NewSylum Brewing Co. Keating Farms Ave. Newtown, CT RSVP at brownfields@ct.gov | | | MS4 Mapping Assistance | Despite the snow, WestCOG stormwater infrastructure mapping efforts have continued through the winter! We currently have a team of technicians working to collect field data in Darien and process the data that we have been collecting in other towns over the past year.
OUR STORMWATER TEAM
Kat Manning Kat Manning is a senior at the University of Connecticut majoring in GIS and Political Science and minoring in Urban and Community Studies. She is originally from Oxford, CT and is looking to pursue a career in transportation/planning using GIS skills. Currently, she is working on digitizing stormwater networks remotely using field data collected from New Milford and Redding.
Utkir Adkhamov Utkir Adkhamov is a water resources specialist with extensive experience in water resource planning and project management, accumulated over seven years across NGOs, government sectors, and academia. His academic credentials include five international degrees, complemented by fluency in five languages. He finds fulfillment in both working for water and working in water.
Nick Lombardo Nick first came to WestCOG back in May 2023 in partnership with Sustainable CT as a Sustainability Fellow, where he assisted WestCOG towns on environmental initiatives and policies to get them registered and certified in Sustainable CT’s program, as well as on drafting community outreach plans for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant under the Inflation Reduction Act. He studied Applied & Resource Economics and Cognitive Science at UConn, and is interested in pursuing an impactful career that addresses mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis.
Elena Sudano Elena Sudano joined WestCOG as a stormwater mapping technician after graduating from Stony Brook University with a B.S. in coastal environmental studies. She is determined to make a positive impact on the state of our environment for the benefit of people and wildlife, with particular interest in habitat connectivity and road ecology.
If you would like any more information about the MS4 Mapping Assistance program please contact Tucker Beckett at tbeckett@westcog.org or by phone: 475-323-2062 | | Regional News | | | Temporary closure of East Norwalk MetroNorth Railroad Station in March | The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) advises that the East Norwalk train station and associated parking lot will be temporarily closed from Monday, March 11 to Sunday, March 31, 2024. This closure is necessary to permit construction related activities for the WALK Bridge Replacement Project. No trains will serve East Norwalk Station during this period. Full regular train service will remain available at the South Norwalk station at 29 Monroe Street, 1.5 miles west, and at the Westport station at 1 Railroad Place in Westport, 2.2 miles east.
The Norwalk Transit District is providing a free shuttle service, starting March 11, that will operate Monday-Friday during the three-week closure. The shuttle will travel between the East Norwalk and South Norwalk train stations six times in the morning and eight times in the late afternoon/evening during the three-week closure. The shuttle departures and arrivals are timed with the Metro-North schedule. For more information, please contact the Norwalk Transit District at (203) 850-0000 or info@norwalktransit.com.
Additionally, East Norwalk station parking permit holders can access the South Norwalk Train Station Garage at no additional cost during the three-week closure. Parking permits will not be honored at the Westport station. | | Norwalk Transit District (NTD) advances its NTD Ahead Initiative | In 2023 NTD and its consultant team led by Nelson/Nygaard began work on a comprehensive operations analysis. As NTD Ahead progresses, three public meetings are being held in March 2024, which are opportunities for learning about different options for improving service. These meetings will be held as follows: Public Meeting in Norwalk Monday, March 11 at6pm Yankee Doodle Garage Community Room 10 Burnell Blvd, Norwalk, CT 06854
Public Meeting in Westport Tuesday, March 12 at 7pm Westport Town Hall Auditorium 110Myrtle Ave, Westport, CT 06880
Virtual Public Meeting via Zoom Tuesday, March 19 at 6pm Join by Smartphone or Computer https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88097933239 Meeting ID: 859 8397 4385 Join by Phone: +1 646 931 3860
To learn more about proposed improvements, register for public meetings, and share your feedback, visit NTDAhead.com.
| | | Funding Updates | | The latest list of grants on WestCOG’s radar. This list is not exhaustive or authoritative. Please visit grantor’s sites and announcements for official grant details. | | Safe Streets and Roads for All | | The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that $1.25 Billion will be available nationwide for the Fiscal Year 2024 SS4A Grant program. FY 2024 is the third year of this five-year program. The SS4A funds local, regional and Tribal safety initiatives and projects to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. Funding is available for planning, demonstration and implementation projects.
Planning and Demonstration grants can range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $10,000,000. Implementation grants will range from $2,500,000 to $25,000,000. There is a 20 percent non-federal match requirement for all grants. There are three deadlines for applications of successive waves of Planning and Demonstration Grants–April 4, May 16 and August 29, 2024. The sole deadline for applications for Implementation Grants is May 16, 2024.
Further information, program guidance and application forms are available on the program website. | | | CPRG Implementation Grants Program | With the PCAPs published and submitted to the EPA, COGs and Municipalities can apply for the CPRG Implementation Grant for projects that would reduce Climate Pollution (Green House Gas).
AMOUNT: $2,000,000+ MATCH: None DEADLINE: April 1st, 2024.
Competitive applications would include projects that reduce large amounts of GHG, rapid turnaround, and benefits for disadvantaged communities. NOTE! Applications for the same project purpose in the same geography may prevent the project from being selected. Reach out to your respective COGs to coordinate your applications. | | CTDOT Active Transportation Microgrants Program | CTDOT has announced their Active Transportation Microgrants Program. The program is intended for non-infrastructure projects up to $5,000 that support walking, biking and rolling in Connecticut.
Some examples of eligible projects include bike helmets, bike locks, safety vests, bicycle fleets or adaptive bicycles, pedestrian or bicycle safety training workshops, etc. Schools, school districts, municipalities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible to apply and are limited to two grants in a 12-month period. The application and program guidelines can be found on CTDOT’s website. read about CPRG Implementation Grants on the EPA website by clicking on the button below.
Please send completed applications to Kristin Hadjstylianos at khadjstylianos@westcog.org by Tuesday, March 26th. If you have questions, please contact Anna Bergeron (Anna.Bergeron@ct.gov) or Kristen Levesque (Kristen.Levesque@ct.gov) at CTDOT. | | | CTDOT releases 2024 Section 5310 Program | On Friday February 9, 2024 the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced the latest round of its Section 5310 Grant Program. The Section 5310 Program is intended to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation services and expanding transportation mobility options.
Eligible Recipients include private nonprofit organizations, states or local government authorities, and operators of public transportation. Taxi companies may participate in the Section 5310 program as contractors and may apply though a coordinating entity.
Both Traditional (vehicles) and Non traditional (operating assistance) applications will be accepted in this round. Mobility management projects are eligible.
Additional details, including applications and program criteria, may be found at CTDOT’s Section 5310 Program webpage, www.ct.gov/dot/5310. Contact Todd Fontanella at WestCOG, (475)323-2076 or by email at tfontanella@westcog.org with any questions. | | | TAG Meeting: 03/12/2024 at 11:00 AM Zoom Link The Comstock Community Center, 180 School Rd, Wilton, CT 06897 COG/MPO/Meeting: 03/21/2024 at 12:00 PM | Zoom link The Ridgefield Town Hall Annex, 66 Prospect Street, Ridgefield, CT | | | |
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