The Town of New Gloucester has been awarded a Community Action Grant to support the creation of a comprehensive climate vulnerability assessment for the town.
The grant, entitled New Gloucester Community Risk Assessment and Resilience Engagement Project is a result of the work of the New Gloucester Environmental Resources Committee and Selectboard over the past year to join the Community Resilience Partnership (CRP). The CRP is a grant program designed to help communities prepare for the effects of climate change and is part of the Governor’s Office of Policy, Innovation and the Future.
New Gloucester is one of 54 communities across Maine to receive grants to protect infrastructure from damaging storms, increase local planning capacity, and improve energy resilience and efficiency.
In planning for this work, the town has partnered with the Sabbathday Lake Association, the Royal River Conservation Trust, and the Greater Portland Council of Governments.
Based on the initial engagement and outcomes of the Community Resilience Partnership (CRP) enrollment process, New Gloucester has selected two interrelated projects for our initial Community Action Grant application: (1) A Community Vulnerability Assessment and (2) an in-depth Community Engagement Plan.
The project will result in a comprehensive Climate Vulnerability Assessment Report including a section on recommendations for immediate next steps; and a report of community engagement efforts and events with information on approaches used, attendance, and outcomes. It is hoped that the project will also serve as a model to other, similar Maine communities as they prepare for future climate uncertainties.
For more information on the project or to become involved please contact: Lauren Jordan or Doug Smith:
laurenjordan921@gmail.com or Doug.is.now@gmail.com
