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Connecticut Resiliency Plan Includes Flood Insurance, History Notification Mandate

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Connecticut Resiliency Plan Includes Flood Insurance, History Notification Mandate


Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont is proposing legislation aimed at improving the state’s resilience in the face of severe weather events, including requiring expanded notification to homeowners and renters of the availability of flood insurance and the flood history of a property.

As part of a comprehensive resiliency bill, Lamont wants to require banks, mortgage companies, insurance companies, and insurance brokers and agents to notify homeowners about the availability of flood insurance at the time of the mortgage signing and formally acknowledge if the customer has declined to purchase a flood policy.

Under current law, only homeowners who own a home within a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-designated flood zone are required to obtain flood insurance. According to Lamont, “many homeowners who have experienced a flood are surprised to learn that homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood damage.” Lamont is proposing to amend this law to establish an additional disclosure related to the history of flooding on a property or its location in a flood zone. Additionally, his proposal would extend this flood history and flood zone notification to renters.

In making his case for his flood notification and other proposals, Lamont noted that the period from July of 2023 to June of 2024 was the wettest year in recorded history for Connecticut, while 2024 was the hottest year and had the hottest summer on record for Hartford.

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Recent Events

He cited the heavy rainfall in August that delivered severe flash flooding in Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven counties, resulting in three deaths and nearly $300 million in damage. He also recalled repeated heavy rainstorms in January of 2024 that resulted in a near-failure of a dam in Bozrah and severe flooding of the Yantic River in Norwich; severe flooding in September of 2023 that collapsed two bridges and stranded families; and an extended drought in the fall of 2024 that contributed to several brush fires, including a large fire on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin and Meriden and took the life of a firefighter.

Tri-State Region Shocked as Severe Floods Take 2 Lives, Leave Trail of Destruction

Flood-Stricken Connecticut Seeks Emergency Assistance from Federal Agencies

“These severe weather events aren’t just happening on TV in faraway locations, they’re happening in our backyards. It is urgent that we take the steps necessary to make sound investments that harden our infrastructure, defend our natural resources, and enact the protections we need to save human lives, property, and livelihood. This is a critical issue that ought to be near the top of every lawmaker’s priorities, and for the sake of the people of Connecticut I want to work with the legislature this session on enacting a comprehensive resiliency bill,” Lamont said.

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Tri-State Flood Risk

Recent research by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that nearly one million houses and multifamily buildings in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut—one in 10 properties in the tri-state area—are at high risk of flooding. These properties rank among the top 25% of riskiest properties nationally, the same flood risk category as some homes in coastal Florida, Texas, and Louisiana, according to the report, “Flood Risk and the Tristate Housing Market.”

1 in 10 Tri-State Properties at High Flood Risk: New York Fed

The report also found that nearly 40% of the tri-state properties at risk of flooding, or more than 400,000 properties, are in low- to moderate-income census tracts. These properties, including single-family homes and multifamily buildings, such as rental apartments, condominiums, and co-ops, are home to more than 1.5 million people.

Lamont’s Bill

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The governor’s full resiliency proposal, which he will file on February 5 when he delivers his budget address to the General Assembly, also calls for:

  • Expand state reviews of coastal development plans to include additional activities in flood risk areas near coastal functions that help buffer flooding (wetlands, beaches, and dunes).
  • Remove the exemption for the coastal site plan review for single-family homes.
  • Prohibit state investments in new or substantial renovation of residential development in the highest-risk flood areas.
  • Have climate risks incorporated in all state and municipal plans for land use, hazard mitigation, transportation, and evacuation and increase sharing of mapping to improve local to state coordination.
  • Clarify that municipalities that currently use municipal reserve and road funds to support local capital improvements may also use these funds to incorporate resiliency considerations.
  • Create a program that helps municipalities incentivize development toward less-sensitive areas.
  • Require municipalities to geolocate culverts and bridges.

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Connecticut

5 Connecticut towns to receive $2M each for infrastructure upgrades

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5 Connecticut towns to receive M each for infrastructure upgrades


HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Five Connecticut towns will collectively receive $10 million in grants for infrastructure upgrades, according to a Monday announcement by Gov. Ned Lamont.

The Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) is awarding $10.7 million to Coventry, Guilford, Ledyard, Mansfield and Thomaston to modernize and rehabilitate housing for low- and moderate-income residents, the announcement said.

The funds are being released through the DOH’s Community Development Block Grant’s small cities program, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be eligible, a municipality must have fewer than 50,000 residents.

Cost Breakdown

Coventry: $2 million

Town of Coventry plans to use funds to upgrade, with a focus on making Orchard Hill Estates compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

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Guilford: $2 million

The Town of Guilford plans to use funds to design and build future affordable housing projects, consisting of up to 16 rental units and 8 homes.

Ledyard: $2 million

The Town of Canton requested funding for the first phase of affordable housing for people in Ledyard and the surrounding area. Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut is in the pre-development phase of the Colby Drive and plans to create 38 units.

Mansfield: $2.2 million

Funding will be used for upgrades to Wright’s Village, including roof replacements and sidewalk repairs.

Thomaston: $2.5 million

Funds will be used to make Green Manor ADA-compliant, including the installation of a new emergency call aid system.


Download the News 8 app to get breaking news and weather alerts.

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Watch News 8 on WTNH.com or the free WTNH News 8 streaming app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and select Samsung Smart TVs.



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Do you work or volunteer for CT’s emergency medical services? We want to hear from you.

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Do you work or volunteer for CT’s emergency medical services? We want to hear from you.


ProPublica and The Connecticut Mirror, two nonprofit newsrooms, are examining the state’s emergency medical services and what it takes to provide lifesaving care across the state. If you work or volunteer for emergency medical services in Connecticut, we need your help. 

We know that the state’s emergency medical services have been strained for years, but that doesn’t stop paramedics, emergency medical technicians and emergency medical responders from working around the clock to serve community members in crisis. We have data on ambulance response times, but we know it doesn’t tell a full story about what is happening behind the scenes.  

If you work or volunteer for a Connecticut ambulance corps, a fire department, a law enforcement agency or an emergency room, we want to hear your experience and understand what resources you need to do this lifesaving work. 

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What has changed about emergency medical services since you started? If your ambulance corps needs more staff, what are the challenges to hiring or retaining new people? What do you wish Connecticut residents or lawmakers knew about the state of EMS?

Your input is crucial and will help guide our reporting. We want to understand the issue in all its complexity — from training limitations to worker housing needs to budget cuts, and what that means for your vital work every day. 

You can fill out our brief form to share your experience. Our reporters read through every response and may follow up with you. You can also email CT Mirror reporter Jenna Carlesso and ProPublica reporter Cassandra Garibay at ctemergency@propublica.org if you have any questions or concerns. 

Don’t work for emergency medical services in Connecticut but know someone who does? You can also help by sending this form to them. 

If you have called 911 for a medical emergency, we also want to hear from you. Please fill out our patient experience form.

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Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027

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Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027


Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.  

Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:

I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!

A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.

German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.

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German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.

German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).

Top SCY Times:

  • 50 Freestyle: 23.54
  • 100 Freestyle: 51.35
  • 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
  • 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19

A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.

German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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