Connecticut is no stranger to extreme weather. Just last month, an unprecedented deluge of rain devastated towns in parts of western Connecticut.
Now, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has announced its next phase of helping towns and cities adapt to inclement weather.
“The interior of the park is a giant bowl,” explained one Meriden city employee involved in the project of the Meriden Green.
City and state officials touted the green’s engineering Wednesday as an example of climate adaptation and mitigation. When severe weather hits, the green is designed to hold 53-acre feet of water.
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“We really built what is a flood catch basin and call it the Meriden Green,” said Mayor Kevin Scarpati.
The green can hold some of the floodwater, keeping it away from local businesses and homes, protecting important infrastructure.
“Now our residents get to come enjoy a concert, at this amphitheater, but also gain the benefit, of not having to worry about their local business, or apartment, or home be ravaged by flood water because of projects like this,” the mayor said.
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The mayor was joined by Katie Dykes, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. She wants other municipalities to begin projects like this one.
“We want to help support more projects like this all across Connecticut,” said Dykes.
DEEP is starting their next phase of their Climate Resiliency Fund. They are requesting information from towns and cities about barriers to projects like the green.
The resiliency fund is in place and going through a re-vamp to help municipalities plan for, design and fund projects around climate mitigation and adaptation.
“The cost of climate change is being felt all across the state,” said Dykes.
Just last month, devastating rain ravaged several western Connecticut towns and while there is no silver bullet for reducing the impacts of climate change, the state sees building back for resiliency as more important than ever.
“We know there are lots of measures municipalities can take to reduce known risks,” said Dykes.
Experts say, when it comes to this type of work, Connecticut is at the front.
“A public space, a public amenity, that also provides flood reduction I think is unique in Connecticut,” said John Truscinzski, with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation through UConn.
He was out with the state touting the green as cutting edge in climate adaptation.
He says the state can’t focus on only one effort around climate change. They must focus on slashing greenhouse gas emissions, but there also has to be preparation around the effects of climate change being felt now.
“It is really incumbent on us to be proactive and get on top of the issue before it becomes less and less manageable over time,” he said.
DEEP has a place on its website where towns and cities can inquire and offer feedback about the climate resiliency revamp and barriers to projects like the green that will be open until November 8.
