All coastal municipalities have prepared plans for shoreline resiliency and infrastructure sustainability and resiliency by 2025, with all future development compliant with those plans by 2035.

The Waterfront Community Resiliency and Sustainability Ecosystem Target aims to have all coastal municipalities have prepared plans for shoreline resiliency and infrastructure sustainability and resiliency by 2025, with all future development compliant with those plans by 2035. There is currently no established process for tracking the implementation of plans or compliance with resiliency and sustainability plans. Tracking the certification of a community in the New York State Climate Smart Communities Program and Sustainable CT Program is a supporting indicator that can be used to measure implementation of local climate change related actions. The certification programs recognize communities for their accomplishments through a rating system leading to three levels of award: bronze, silver, and gold (currently only available in CT). Each level involves earning a minimum number of points and meeting certain requirements related to priority actions.

There are 77 Long Island Sound coastal municipalities in New York. Out of the total number of municipalities in New York, 4 are bronze level and 1 is silver level in the NYS Climate Smart Communities Program. There are 50 municipalities within or partially within the LISS Coastal Boundary in Connecticut. Out of the total, 14 have earned the bronze certification and 13 have earned the silver certification from Sustainable CT.

Certification Programs

Climate Smart Communities (CSC) is a New York State program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. The program offers free technical assistance, grants, and rebates for electric vehicles. Registered communities have made a commitment to act by passing the CSC pledge. Certified communities are the foremost leaders in the state; they have gone beyond the CSC pledge by completing and documenting a suite of actions that mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local level. See here for more information: https://climatesmart.ny.gov/ and CSC pledge elements. See the Certification Levels page for more details. 

Sustainable CT is a voluntary certification program to recognize thriving and resilient Connecticut municipalities. An independently funded, grassroots, municipal effort, Sustainable CT provides a wide-ranging menu of best practices and support. Municipalities choose Sustainable CT actions, implement them, and earn points toward certification and bronze, silver or gold. Certified municipalities can apply for Climate Leadership Designation which celebrates municipalities that are reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and preparing their communities for the impacts of climate change, while saving money, improving public health, and building community. See the certification overview page for more details. See here for more information: https://sustainablect.org/actions-certifications/actions

Level	Certified Sustainable CT Community (50 Total)	Certified NYS Climate Smart Community (77 Total)
Bronze	14	4
Silver	13	1

Source of Data

Connecticut Institute of Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA)
(See data notes for comprehensive CT list of sources)