Community Resource Hubs

The State of Connecticut’s DEEP is seeking to establish, within available funds, DEEP Community Resource Hubs in environmental justice (EJ) communities within the state.  EJ communities are defined in Connecticut as either (1) a U.S. census block group with 30% or low income individuals with an income below 200% of the federal poverty level; or (2) a distressed municipality, as defined in our partner agency’s list of distressed municipalities. These EJ communities can range from urban neighborhoods to economically distressed rural communities. DEEP’s EJ website provides more information about these communities, including a searchable map.

EJ communities can experience outsized burdens such as elevated levels of air pollution, higher or unaffordable energy costs, more limited access to tree canopy cover and outdoor recreation assets, greater exposure to land and water contamination, and greater risk of certain climate change impacts. DEEP’s commitment to environmental justice requires strengthening connections between DEEP programs and these communities, while recognizing that rural and urban EJ communities may have different needs and that programs may be more relevant to some areas than to others.

State statutes, regulations, and policies, including DEEP’s own Environmental Equity Policy—as well as requirements tied to using federal funds such as the federal Justice40 targets—all require that DEEP incorporate environmental justice considerations directly into its work. As a result, many of DEEP’s programs are specifically designed to address disparities in environmental, economic, or other conditions experienced by EJ communities, especially those in rural and urban communities.

DEEP will be selecting qualified partners to establish these Community Resource Hubs. On October 21, 2024, DEEP released a *draft* Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for public comment. After learning from our community partners and incorporating feedback from this public comment process, DEEP will release the final RFQ in December 2024, with responses due in early 2025.

The selected Community Resource Hub(s) will directly, or through subcontract, provide services including but not limited to:

• Facilitating community input on DEEP policy and program design
• Increasing effective community access to state and federal resources and funding
• Facilitating education programs and informational awareness to initiatives aligned with DEEP's mission
• Facilitating community access to and participation in DEEP events and opportunities
• Facilitating community participation in workforce development and business creation opportunities associated with DEEP programs

Hubs will also be equipped to provide essential resources, including equipment and technical assistance, to ensure residents have the tools they need to participate fully in beneficial environmental and energy initiatives. 

Accompanying the draft RFQ is a Notice of Public Meetings and an Opportunity for Comment on the draft. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit written comments on the draft by email until November 18, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. EDT; they also can submit comments during two virtual ZOOM public meetings we have scheduled. You can answer as many or as few questions as is relevant or practical. DEEP will post all materials that stakeholders submit in this process on this DEEP EJ webpage. Any questions can be directed to DEEP.EJ@ct.gov.

To submit written comments, please:

• Email comments to DEEP.EJ@ct.gov
• Put “Community Resource Hub Draft RFQ Comments” in the subject line
• Ensure that your email screening software, if used, recognizes and accepts emails from DEEP.EJ@ct.gov so that you can receive confirmation of your comments and other communications about the hubs
• If sending your comments as an attachment, please do so as either a Microsoft Word or PDF file
• You can put shorter responses or general thoughts/feedback in the body of an email

More information about the steps after this draft RFQ will be posted here, but stayed tuned for the final RFQ to be released in December 2024, with responses due in January 2025.

Questions about this initiative? Please reach out to DEEP.EJ@ct.gov.

Content last updated October 30, 2024.