Regional Councils of Governments (COGs) in Connecticut
On June 6, 2022, the final Federal Register Final Notice for the change to county-equivalents was published. This notice serves as a final response to all comments received to the Proposed Notice published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2020. The Final Notice is the Census Bureau's final announcement that Connecticut's request will be implemented and urges all stakeholders to immediately prepare for any impacts related to the adoption of planning regions as county-equivalents on data collection. Scroll down for more information.
Connecticut’s nine (9) planning regions provide a geographic framework within which municipalities can jointly address common interests, and coordinate such interests with state plans and programs. CGS Section 16a-4a authorizes the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to designate or redesignate the boundaries of logical planning regions.
CGS Section 4-124j authorizes the member municipalities of each planning region to establish a formal regional governance structure known as a council of governments (COG).
Map of Regional Councils of Governments in Connecticut
2020 Census Population by Planning Region
County Equivalency
Background
In August 2019, Office of Policy and Management (OPM) Secretary Melissa McCaw requested the U.S. Census Bureau’s approval of a proposal to recognize Connecticut’s nine planning regions as the statistical equivalent of counties for the purpose of tabulating and publishing future Census data. Read Secretary McCaw's letter to the U.S. Census Bureau.
On December 14, 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau published notice of the proposal in the Federal Register with the expectation that, following a 60-day public comment period, the proposal would be adopted and go into effect for all official Census Bureau statistical and geospatial data products starting in 2023. Upon such adoption, COGs will also be recognized as “county-equivalents” for the purpose of applying for federal grants that are open to counties.
On June 6, 2022, the final Federal Register Final Notice for the change to county-equivalents was published. This notice serves as a final response to all comments received to the Proposed Notice published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2020. The Final Notice is the Census Bureau's final announcement that Connecticut's request will be implemented and urges all stakeholders to immediately prepare for any impacts related to the adoption of planning regions as county-equivalents on data collection.
Federal Register Final Notice - June 6, 2022
Governor Lamont's Press Release - June 6, 2022
OPM Press Release — December 14, 2020
Federal Register Proposed Notice - December 14, 2020
Contacts:
Press/Media Inquiries – Chris Collibee 860-418-6296 Chris.Collibee@ct.gov
Municipal Inquiries – Martin Heft (860) 418-6355; Martin.Heft@ct.gov
COG Inquiries – See list of COG Directors (below)
Census Data Inquiries – Michelle Riordan-Nold (860) 937-9056; info@ctdata.org
For additional information, please visit:
Census State Data Center: https://www.ctdata.org/state-data-center
U.S. Census Bureau: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/technical-documentation/county-changes.html
Related Links:
- Regional Planning Grant-in-Aid (a.k.a. Regional Services Grant or RSG)
- Municipal Parcel Data
- 2014 Redesignation of Planning Regions