Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments
About
The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) is a public agency with representatives from twenty-two towns, cities, and boroughs, formed to provide a basis for intergovernmental cooperation in dealing with a wide range of issues. SCCOG was organized in October of 1992, taking over the mission of the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (SCRPA), which had been in existence since January 1961. SCCOG is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation within southeastern Connecticut. SCCOG membership also includes the Mohegan Tribe and Mashantucket-Pequot Tribes (affiliate, non-voting members), CT Department of Transportation (non-voting), and Southeast Area Transit (SEAT, votes on MPO matters).
Primary focus areas of SCCOG are regional planning, which includes producing studies and plans that affect the responsible development of the region; transportation planning and prioritization of State and Federal transportation funding, as the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO); and providing regional services, which include staffing assistance to local land use commissions and exploring additional avenues for cost savings and inter-municipal cooperation.
Regional Planning
Duties assigned to Councils of Governments in Connecticut include establishing a plan of conservation and development for the region, assisting member municipalities, as well as State and other public and private agencies, and performing a variety of advisory review functions. SCCOG undertakes numerous of studies and initiatives each year, under the guidance of member municipalities.
Transportation Planning
Under Federal transportation law, SCCOG functions as the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), responsible for coordinating transportation planning in southeastern Connecticut.
Regional and Other Services
In addition to its statutorily assigned duties, SCCOG’s functions include providing a basis for intergovernmental cooperation, aiding in the solution of regional issues, serving as a technical resource to its member municipalities, and providing a collective voice for the region.
News
SCCOG Seeking Public Comments on Draft Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan:
While southeastern Connecticut has enjoyed a period of relative calm over the last five years, the tropical systems of 2021 (Elsa, Fred, Henri, and Ida) and the coastal storm of December 23, 2022 were strong reminders of the risks posed by natural disasters. The region’s communities–twenty-two towns, cities, and boroughs, and two federally recognized tribal governments–have shared in the development and adoption of a natural hazard mitigation plan for two decades, with updates incorporated every five years. The region’s communities again worked with the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) to update the plan, and this time the challenges associated with climate change were incorporated directly into the plan to produce a “Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan” for southeastern Connecticut.
The Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut outlines sets of actions that can be taken to reduce losses of property and life due to natural disasters like floods, severe wind events, winter storms, wildfires, droughts, and extreme heat events made worse by climate change, as well as hazards such as earthquakes that are not affected by climate change. This is the first edition of the region’s plan to directly include droughts and extreme heat. Many of the proposed actions listed in the plan are meant to ensure that each of the towns, cities, boroughs, and tribes in the region have reasonable access to shelters, cooling centers, and other critical facilities needed before, during, and after severe weather or heat events.
The hazard mitigation and climate adaptation planning effort leveraged close coordination with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), which is located nearby at UConn’s Avery Point Campus. CIRCA has expanded its “Resilient Connecticut” program from a narrow pilot region to the entire state, with a strong focus in southeastern Connecticut. New flood and extreme heat vulnerability mapping was developed by CIRCA and is included in the plan.
The Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut will continue to make the region’s communities eligible for seeking hazard mitigation assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State of Connecticut.
The Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut is available for review at www.seccog.org/resil-haz.
Comments and questions regarding the Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut may be sent directly to SCCOG at office@seccog.org. Public comments regarding the draft will be received until March 31, 2023. Additional comments about natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation may be provided to SCCOG at the same email address during plan implementation, over the life of the plan.
If language assistance is needed, please contact SCCOG at 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.
Si necesita asistencia lingüística, por favor comuníquese a 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.
如果您需要语言帮助，请致电 860-889-2324或发送电子邮件至 office@seccog.org.
[this post was revised 3/10/23 to include the most recent draft MTP documents]
Notice of Public Hearing/Comment Period on Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan:
Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2023-2050 (rev. 3/6/23)
SCCOG 2023 MTP Projects List (rev. 3/6/23)
Ozone/PM2.5 Air Quality Conformity Determination
Notice of public hearing/comment period
The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) will host two (2) public hearings to receive public comment on SCCOG’s Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), the region’s long-range plan, which establishes transportation priorities from 2023 – 2050. The plan includes the Air Quality Conformity Determination authored by the CT Department of Transportation. The Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2023-2050 (2023 MTP) and Ozone/PM2.5 Air Quality Conformity Determination are available for review at www.seccog.org.
Hearings will be held via Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87205976084) Thursday, February 16th, at 1:00 pm and again at 6:00 pm. For language/disability assistance, please contact SCCOG in advance. A survey regarding transportation needs and priorities is available at https://forms.office.com/r/NWcX9vr9WJ. Comments may also be submitted via mail/email to office@seccog.org, 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360, by March 6.
“Conformity” is a requirement of the Federal Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) Section 176(c) (42 U.S.C.7506(c)) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conformity regulations (40 CFR 93 Subpart A). These regulations require that each new Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) be demonstrated to conform to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) before an MTP and TIP is approved by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) or accepted by the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT); the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments is an MPO. This process ensures that transportation projects in the MTP and TIP are consistent with air quality goals and that progress is made toward achieving and maintaining Federal air quality standards. A conformity determination is undertaken to estimate emissions from a transportation system and demonstrate that those emissions are within the limits outlined in State air quality implementation plans.
Aviso de audiencia pública/período de comentarios
El Consejo de Gobiernos del Sureste de Connecticut (SCCOG) organizará dos audiencias públicas para recibir comentarios públicos sobre el Borrador del Plan de Transporte Metropolitano (MTP) de SCCOG, el plan a largo plazo de la región, que establece las prioridades de transporte de 2023 a 2050. El plan incluye la Determinación de Conformidad de la Calidad del Aire creada por el Departamento de Transporte de CT. El Borrador del Plan de Transporte Metropolitano 2023-2050 (2023 MTP) y la Determinación de la Conformidad de la Calidad del Aire del Ozono / PM2.5 están disponibles para su revisión en www.seccog.org. Las audiencias se llevarán a cabo a través de Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87205976084) Jueves 16 de febrero, a la 1:00 pm y nuevamente a las 6:00 pm. Para obtener asistencia lingüística / discapacidad, comuníquese con SCCOG con anticipación. Una encuesta sobre las necesidades y prioridades de transporte está disponible en https://forms.office.com/r/NWcX9vr9WJ. Los comentarios también pueden enviarse por correo electrónico office@seccog.org, a por correo postal a SCCOG 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360 antes del 6 de marzo.
公开听证会通知/公众意见征询期
康涅狄格州东南部政府委员会 （SCCOG） 将举办两次公开听证会，以听取公众对 SCCOG 大都市交通计划 （MTP） 草案的意见，这是该地区的长期计划，确定了 2023 年至 2050 年的交通优先事项。 该计划包括由CT交通部撰写的空气质量符合性测定。2023-2050 年大都市交通计划草案 （2023 MTP） 和臭氧/PM2.5 空气质量符合性测定可在 www.seccog.org 听证会将于 2 月 16 日星期四下午 1：00 和下午 6：00 通过 Zoom （https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87205976084) 举行。如需语言/残疾协助，请提前联系SCCOG。有关运输需求和优先事项的调查可在 xxxx 获得 https://forms.office.com/r/NWcX9vr9WJ 。评论也可以在 3 月 6 日之前通过邮件/电子邮件提交到 office@seccog.org, 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360.
SCCOG to Host Open Space Planning Workshops in February:
The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments will host a series of public workshops to inform the development of its Regional Open Space Plan. This plan will help to guide conservation and recreation decisions in the region over the coming years.
Notificación de Reunione Públicos
The planned workshops will provide the public an opportunity to learn about the plan and provide direct input. The scheduled dates and locations are as follows:
Saturday, February 11th, 10:00am – 11:00am
Public Library of New London
63 Huntington St, New London, CT 06320
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Monday, February 13th, 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Zoom Video/Teleconference
Click Here to Register
Meeting ID: 854 1341 5989 | Call-in number: +1 (929) 205 6099 US (New York)
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Wednesday, February 15th, 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Otis Library
261 Main St, Norwich, CT 06360
SCCOG is also seeking feedback through an online survey, which seeks to identify how residents use, or would like to use, open space. That can be found below.
If information is needed in another language, contact 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.
Si necesita información en otro idioma, llame al 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.
如果您需要语言帮助，请致电860-889-2324或发送电子邮件至 office@seccog.org.