Welcome to the SCRCOG monthly newsletter where you can find updates on our transportation planning, regional planning, and municipal services programs. 

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Grants

DEEP announced the launch of the first round of Light Duty Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Program (EVSE) funding under its Volkswagen NOx Mitigation Program. The Application Deadline is 5:00 pm on September 30, 2022.

The program will pay for up to 100% of the cost to purchase, install and maintain eligible light duty electric vehicle supply equipment that will be available to the public at a government-owned property.

Proposals are due September 30, 2022. For more information, including application forms and guidance, visit DEEP's website. 

Sustainable CT Summer Fellows Affordable Housing Project

Each year Sustainable CT Summer Fellows undertake a project that supports wider SCT programming. This year, with input from Sustainable CT and COG staff across the state of Connecticut, SCT Fellows created a series of tools to assist SCT with the development of programming to support towns as they work to implement strategies they have adopted as part of their municipal Affordable Housing Plans. 

The Fellows created a searchable database cataloging municipal Affordable Housing Plan content, including functionality that allows the user to search by strategy, region, or specific demographic data point. The searchable database can be used to identify opportunities among communities and cross COG connections for the creation of implementation strategies. Taking the assigned project one step further, the SCT Fellows analyzed the municipal Affordable Housing Plan data for each COG region and suggested strategies for Affordable Housing Plan Implementation Programming by Sustainable CT. 

An interactive Affordable Housing Story Map was created by the SCT Fellows. The map allows the user to access Affordable Housing Plans and Plans of Conservation and Development for all of Connecticut's 169 towns with the click of a button. The presentation of recommendations to Sustainable CT and COG staff on August 8th included demonstrations of their database tools as well as their interactive Affordable Housing Story Map and is available for viewing on the Sustainable CT channel on YouTube.  Stay tuned for more information from Sustainable CT on how this tool will be available for municipalities to use. 

COG Coordination Meeting: SCRCOG attended the monthly COG Coordination Meeting with DOT where presentations were given on Federal Grant Opportunities by Joseph Cristalli, Trans. Principal Safety Program Coordinator, Highway Safety Office, and Edgardo Block, gave a presentation on a  Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) – for Proposed Greenhouse Gas Emissions. There was also  a monthly update of the LEAN process.

Unified Planning Work Program: SCRCOG continues working with the consultants selected to complete FY 23 UPWP projects to finalize scopes for the seven new transportation studies in the upcoming fiscal year, while completing an additional five studies which began in FY 22.

LOTCIP: The LOTCIP page on the SCRCOG website has been updated to include a new SCRCOG Guide to the LOTCIP process and a Pre- Application form for new projects. SCRCOG staff met with a consultant firm selected to assist with the review and submission of LOTCIP projects. 

Data Collection: Commuter Parking lot counts, for the 1st Quarter were completed on August 17, 2022 and are available on our website.