The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments is working with communities to update the region’s natural hazard mitigation plan.

Towns, cities, boroughs and the two federally recognized tribes, the Mohegans and Mashantucket Pequots, have helped in the development of a natural hazard mitigation plan for the past two decades, with updates every five years. The challenges associated with climate change will be incorporated directly into this update to produce a “Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan” for southeastern Connecticut.

“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) were a strong reminder of the risks posed by natural disasters,” a news release states.

“The plan will outline a set 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, extreme heat events, and earthquakes; and will outline a set of actions to reduce impacts of these events when made worse by the effects of climate change,” the release added. The work will be done in close coordination with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation at the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point Campus in Groton.

People living and working in and near the region have opportunities to comment. An online “story map,” with a survey, can be accessed at tinyurl.com/yv7zck7h.

SCCOG announced two public meetings:

• 6:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Road, Groton, which is on the SEAT bus routes 11 and 108.

• 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the SCCOG offices, 5 Connecticut Ave., Norwich, located on bus route 5. People have the option to join this meeting remotely, with instructions to be posted to seccog.org/meetings. Participation by telephone also will be possible.

Comments can be sent to office@seccog.org. The updated plan will continue to make communities eligible for hazard mitigation assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state, and will align the region with new state funding programs.