Hi Everyone, Amanda Fargo-Johnson here from CT RC&D - CT Farm Energy Program

Hi Everyone, Eric Hammerling, Executive Director, Connecticut Forest & Park Association here.

Happy Friday! Hannah Reichle- MetroCOG Regional Planner

Joan Nichols Executive Director, CT Farm Bureau joann@cfba.org 860-951-2791

Hello! Juliet Cain, Pollinator Pathway

Good morning all, and thanks for joining. Andrea Urbano, CT DEEP Forestry - Private & Municipal Lands Program

Chris DonnellyCT Urban Forest Councilretired DEEP

Agenda for today: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/climatechange/GC3/GC3-2022-agendas-and-minutes/GC3_Climate-Smart-Agriculture-and-Forestry-Agenda-102822.pdf

Bob Fahey - UConn

Hello everyone - Lisa Hayden, New England Forestry Foundation

Good Morning! Leigh Whittinghill- the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Morning folks, David Irvin here from the Forestry Division, State Lands Management Program.

Good morning! Lilian Ruiz with the CT Council on Soil and Water Conservation.

Susanna Keriö - Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, focus on urban tree research

a more detailed agenda is below: Welcome, IntroductionsChairs (Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt, Dept. of Agriculture and Chris Martin, DEEP designee for Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumble)5 minsPresentation: Climate Smart Agriculture Grant Program Review(Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt)15 minsPresentation: Forestry-Related Inflation Reduction Act opportunities(Chris Martin, DEEP designee for Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumble)7 minsEquity and Environmental Justice Discussion with Working Group Members(Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt and Chris Martin)20 minsPublic Comment13 minsAdjourn and Next Steps

https://portal.ct.gov/DOAG/Farmland-Preservation/Programs/Farmland-Restoration-Grant

CT Farmer Veteran Coalition is also hosting a Farm Transition & Farmland Restoration Grants Workshop with CT DOAG on November 10th at 7pm. More info available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/farm-transition-farmland-restoration-grants-workshop-tickets-450543938047

I thought at the very first meeting, this was only available for private landowners, not public. Has this information changed or was that just a suggestion that is not acted upon?

Public being municipal

Do these comments include those of this working group?

Thanks.

What kind of timeline might this look like for farmers applying to programs for specific projects/funds?

I am assuming that these are 10 year totals. Should we expect the funding to be available at an equal level over each of the 10 years?

@chris D. I think it depends on the program, but I will let Chris speak to whether he knows the language in the bill.

Well said, Juliet. Thanks.

Hi there! Sorry my audio is having issues right now, but happy to offer some reflections on this.

Getting back to energy - I think energy resilience is often an issue in rural areas and often related to vegetation-infrastructure conflicts. Also, the transition to solar and other green energy (including new transmission) may be more likely to affect rural areas

Good points, Bob. Agreed and thank you. It may also be worth considering the State's promotion of multifamily and affordable housing, and how these development pressures impact woodland owners throughout the state. My hope is we can find a balance in our approach to meeting these State's needs, and perhaps even inform the green infrastructure integration into these developments

Just had a question about the new climate-smart program. In earlier discussions it seemed that there would be a separate Ag & Forestry program, each for $7 million with different practices a sub-programs - but is it correct that the 2 will be merged at $14 million in the program for which the application period is approaching?

Use of these funds to help ensure that private landowners do not have to sell their land for development, because that typically pays more than for conservation, would be beneficial to consider, if any of the grants can be used for that. We need to continue to push to keep our forests IN forest, and I think that is the very first priority. This is something that impacts our forests in both the rural and more suburban/urban settings across our state.

Thank you for clarifying!

Also CT DEEP Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust program for landowners interested in selling land to CT DEEP directly.

Commissioner Dykes at the end of her address Wednesday told me that we should all be going on the recently opened docket at PURA for rate review of Eversource and UI. If the don't have the funds they will have to reduce their ETT budgets.

Tuesday, November 1 for land trusts www.ctconservation.org

Thank you all!