State Agencies Respond to Extreme Weather by Enhancing Climate Resilience

By Joe O’Leary

November 6 @ 9:30 am

Multiple state agencies are increasing their efforts to support climate resilience to mitigate the impact of weather events like those that occurred on Aug. 18, a date which many Connecticut residents will likely never forget.

Unexpected torrential rains dropped across the state that day, damaging and destroying property across three counties. Two individuals died in flooding, with as many as 80 businesses and 19 homes destroyed, while hundreds of others were damaged by the storm, state officials told CT Insider back in August.

The event was the latest in an unsettling trend of storms and natural disasters causing millions of dollars of damage across Connecticut in recent years, with instances seeming to grow over time.

Heavy rainfall in the summer of 2023 caused flooding along the Connecticut River, with especially devastating results for nearby farms. That summer also included drought and extreme heat.

Meanwhile, the state weathered the remnants of tropical storms and hurricanes in 2021. These storms flooded low-lying communities, killed an on-duty police officer and destroyed at least one road in Manchester, while also damaging locations in Meriden.

Even this autumn’s lack of rain has caused extreme conditions, creating a tinderbox in state forests that sparked fires across Connecticut and led to the death of a Wethersfield firefighter as he responded.

Facing down conditions like these, state residents, businesses and municipalities likely have wary eyes heading to the sky whenever there’s a threat of severe weather.

The Connecticut Insurance Department was the latest agency to respond to such concerns through its new Extreme Weather Mitigation and Resiliency Advisory Council, which will provide expert recommendations in the name of minimizing future damages caused by extreme weather events.

In a press release, Insurance Commissioner Andrew M. Mais said the council would play a crucial role in enhancing the safety and resilience of Connecticut communities.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Mais said. “By focusing on preventative measures and fortifying properties, we aim to reduce the financial, emotional, and social impacts of natural disasters, while also fostering a more competitive and accessible insurance market.”

Primarily focused on flooding, with consideration for other damaging weather, this council has been tasked with finding incentive programs to help homeowners and businesses reduce their risks from hazards.

The council’s work will include grant standards, emerging insurance products, financial thresholds and partnerships to make the program sustainable and effective. The group plans to study outreach and education, data sharing and partnership models that can further encourage and build programs supporting resilience against extreme weather.

The new council comes in addition to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s climate resiliency efforts, which have included more than $8 million in grants in 2023 to support projects in municipalities across the state.

DEEP’s efforts included plans to reduce heat impacts in urban cities, develop initiatives to handle flooding for areas along rivers in communities like Bristol, Norwich, and Stamford, and in some cases, develop town-wide climate mitigation plans.