MD Rahman

MANCHESTER DELEGATION WELCOMES STATE GRANT TO SUPPORT FLOOD RESILIENCE PLANNING

With parts of town experiencing significant flooding issues in recent years, and with weather patterns changing globally in an unpredictable fashion, Manchester’s delegation of elected officials this week welcomed Manchester receiving a $200,000 grant to aid its development of climate resiliency plans. The grant will be used to study flooding with the intent of preparing for future possible damages.

“Connecticut is already playing a leading role in addressing the challenge of climate change because making those investments means healthier people and a healthier environment, as well as new business opportunities,” Governor Lamont said. “Planning for climate resilience requires preserving and protecting what we love about this state so that we can continue to be a great place for families with clean air and water and thriving communities.”

“With storms having already caused significant flood damage in Manchester in recent years, this grant will be very useful,” said State Senator MD Rahman (D-Manchester). ‘I’m grateful to the Governor and DEEP for their foresight to invest in our community’s future. Our town can plan for the future better with the results of this study.”

“Climate change is altering weather patterns on a global scale and will increasingly affect vulnerable areas such as Manchester that has been repeatedly impacted by devastating flooding,” said House Majority Leader Jason Rojas. “We must continue to do all we can to prepare and therefore I fully support this funding to protect families that live in flood-prone neighborhoods.”

“Preparing for future issues from climate-related weather events is unfortunately necessary, so I appreciate DEEP’s partnership and their commitment to funding,” said State Rep. Jeff Currey (D-East Hartford, Manchester). “Manchester has already seen flooding issues from storms in recent years, so the time to plan is now.”

“This community grant investment will help Manchester prepare for future extreme storms and events by aiding the critical development of a townwide flood resilience plan and put our community in a better position to compete for federal funding that is also available,” said State Rep. Jason Doucette (D-Manchester. Glastonbury).

“This grant funding is vital to efforts to protect our community from the effects of ever-evolving extreme weather,” said State Rep. Geoff Luxenberg (D-Manchester), whose district lies solely within Manchester.

The Governor’s Office and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced the release of $8.8 million in state funding to support climate resiliency plans and project development grants, crucial as it said projections for Connecticut indicate the state will experience stronger storms, more frequent droughts, rising sea levels and increased flooding in the next 27 years.

The Town of Manchester will receive $200,000 in resilience planning grants, with the funds used to develop a townwide flood resilience plan. The plan will focus on understanding the impact of extreme precipitation events and how they affect the town and will identify recommendations for future steps to take that will reduce risks in the future.

Several storms in recent years have caused severe flooding issues in parts of Manchester. Tropical Storm Henri, in 2021, forced the evacuation of 18 homes due to flooding; Tropical Storm Ida, weeks later, worsened the flood damage, with parts of Charter Oak Park in the southern half of town completely submerged due to flooding. Parts of Ambassador Drive in Manchester even washed away due to the storms. Developing a plan will help the town better prepare for and address future storms like these.