State Plans - Your comments are needed!

• State Comprehensive Energy Strategy:  DEEP has opened the comment period for their newly released draft of an updated energy strategy. Deadline: 9/25/17

• State Conservation & Development Policies Plan:  OPM is now accepting public comments on the State Conservation & Development Policies Plan 2018-2023 (C&D Plan). Public hearings and map workshops are being offered.  Deadline: 10/26/17

National News Headlines 

• Federal Action Alert: Canyons and Seamounts at Risk (Source:  Leah Schmalz, Program Director, Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound)

• Scientists from 13 federal agencies create draft climate change report. The report finds that even if humans stop releasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, there will still be a warming of at least .5 degrees Fahrenheit. (Source: New York Times)

• A bipartisan group of U.S. mayors commit to run completely on renewable energy sources in two decades. City leaders from more than 250 cities voted on this resolution at the recent U.S. Conference of Mayors. (Source: Land Trust Alliance) 

• U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of conservationists and environmentalists on land use rules. (Source: Land Trust Alliance)

• Accreditation News:  Public comment period from August 23 through September 30 on the draft 2018 Requirements Manual.  The Land Trust Accreditation Commission will accept public comments on the new draft and will host public comment webinars on August 30 and September 14.

• Accreditation News:  Download the infographic and the crosswalk of requirements from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. These new resources will help land trusts understand how the revised 2017 Land Trust Standards and Practices are integrated into the accreditation program.

• High Efficiency Trails Assessment Process (HETAP) Training with The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV):  Nonprofit trail groups, land trusts, municipalities, and state and federal agencies are invited to train with TLGV on using HETAP equipment.

• Rockfall Foundation Call for Nominations: The Distinguished Service Award and Certificate of Appreciation are presented annually to honor individuals, non-profit organizations, and other groups for contributions to the environment and quality of life in the Lower CT River Valley. Nominations are due September 15, 2017.

• CIRCA Municipal Resilience Grant Program - up to $100,000 in funds available to municipal governments and councils of government for grant proposals that advance resilience. Deadline: 9/1/17

• Community Foundation of Middlesex County Competitive Grants - Deadline: 9/14/17

• FY 2018 Landscape Scale Restoration Request for Proposals - U.S. Forest Service is now accepting proposals. Register for the info webinar to be held August 23 at 11:00am. Deadline: 9/15/17

• Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program - funding to provide direct technical assistance and financial assistance to coastal communities and landowners to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat on public and private lands. Deadline: 9/30/17

• Connecticut Community Foundation Environment Grants - Deadline: 10/3/17

• EPA New England's Healthy Communities Grant Program - grant money to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life. 

• Outreach/Development Associate - Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust
• Part-Time Grants Coordinator - CT RC&D
• Common Ground - Youth Organizer