CAW Newsletter: Fall 2024
Our hearts go out to those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The strength of these storms and the scale of their impacts are truly difficult to comprehend.
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) offers suggestions for donations and volunteer opportunities to support recovery efforts for both hurricanes. If you are looking for ways to contribute, consider these resources: Helene and Milton. Additionally, here is a helpful page from FEMA addressing some of the dis/misinformation which is detrimental to the response and recovery efforts. We can all help by sharing accurate information from official sources.
If you are reading this here in NH and looking for preparedness resources, ReadyNH.gov is a good place to start.
Adapting Together Report Released!
This new report outlines the Adapting Together Team’s collaborative efforts to co-design a technical assistance program aimed at enhancing community resilience to extreme weather and climate change in the Great Bay Watershed. Building on these findings, the team is seeking funding for Adapting Together Phase II, which aims to provide a comprehensive technical assistance and funding program to support municipalities and organizations over the next four years as they tackle flooding and heat-related challenges. In the report, you’ll find summaries, perceptions, priorities, and ideas that emerged from three workshops and one focus group held in the watershed in spring 2024. These forums were attended by 83 technical assistance providers, funders, residents, municipal staff, and representatives of nonprofits. Together, they represented 26 communities in the New Hampshire portion of the watershed and four neighboring communities.
Seabrook’s Dune Walkways Under Evaluation for Safety, Accessibility, and Environmental Protection
A new blog post by Maddie DiIonno from Rockingham Planning Commission provides an update on a project that aims to produce a comprehensive assessment of Seabrook’s dune walkways, offering options for structural improvements and restoration opportunities. These recommendations will be used to pursue future funding for design, permitting, and construction projects aimed at enhancing both public access and ecological resilience.
Want to learn more? The project team is hosting a Public Workshop on October 24, 5-7PM, at the Seabrook Community Center.
Emergency Preparedness Workshop
Seacoast Public Health Network and members of the Flood Ready Neighborhoods team are planning an emergency preparedness workshop on Tuesday, November 19th, from 3-5pm, in Hampton. Prepare your family and community for winter storms, flooding, and other emergencies. You’ll discover how to develop emergency plans and prepare your home to ensure your safety during disasters. You’ll also receive some emergency kit supplies! Refreshments and childcare will be provided.
Coming Soon… Several CAW members are excited to be part of a team that’s developing a training for realtors called “Living with Water.” This course will cover a range of topics from water quality and tides to understanding flood maps and thinking about projections. Good timing with NH’s new flood disclosure bill being signed into law, and the growing trend of states requiring flood disclosure. Additionally, later this year Zillow will join Redfin in including ‘climate risk scores’ for listings. We hope this course helps equip local realtors to support their buyers to navigate our coastal landscape.
Revisit 2024 Climate Summit Resources
Reminder that the slides, recordings, and resources from CAW’s 2024 NH Climate Summit are available on our website. Be sure to check them out!
CAW members recently dug into the evaluation results from the Summit and are already starting to think ahead to the 2026 Summit!
Picturing Rising Tides Traveling Gallery
The 2024 Picturing Rising Tides Photo Exhibit has been traveling around the seacoast. The Exhibit is currently at the Rollinsford Public Library through October 17th.
The Exhibit showcases some of the most compelling images captured as part of CAW’s annual Picturing Rising Tides event. The goal of Picturing Rising Tides is to generate visual and written accounts of high tide impacts and showcase the need to plan for an increasing frequency and extent of flooding from sea-level rise and storms. This year, 42 people submitted 90 pictures and videos from 11 communities across New Hampshire’s coastal watershed. Images featured in the photo exhibit were selected through a public voting process. The display is made possible by a generous donation from Live Free Print & Frame.
To review the full gallery of submissions, visit the CAW website. For questions, please contact Lucy Perkins at 559-9101 / lucy.l.perkins@des.nh.gov or Lisa Wise 696-4078 / lisa.wise@unh.edu.
Updating the NH Coastal Flood Risk Summary
An update of the 2019-2020 NH Coastal Flood Risk Summary is currently underway. This will fulfill the requirements of RSA 483-B:22, which directs NHDES to supervise updates to the 2014 Coastal Risk and Hazard Commission Science and Technical Advisory Panel report at least every five years. The NH Coastal Flood Risk Summary is comprised of two parts, including “Part I: Science” and “Part II: Guidance for Using Scientific Projections.” NHDES is collaborating with staff from NH Sea Grant and UNH Cooperative Extension to coordinate the update and associated engagement and trainings. If you would like receive notifications, please email jennifer.r.gilbert@des.nh.gov and lisa.wise@unh.edu.
Upcoming EVENTS
- 10/17 NH Environmental Health Conference, Concord, NH
- 10/17-20 NH Film Festival – Check out the documentary Women on the Water on 10/17
- 10/18 Climate Resilience Workshop: Farm Ponds and Water Sources, Farmington, NH
- 10/23 Climate Resilience Workshop: Soil Health Practices, Kingston, NH
- 10/23 Screening of Purple Mountains Live Free or Die, Durham, NH
- 10/23 NH Saves Button Up: Home Weatherization Workshop, Portsmouth Community Campus or online via Zoom
- 10/24 Seabrook Dune Walkway Assessment Public Workshop, Seabrook, NH
- 10/26 Great Bay 5k, Greenland, NH
- 11/1 Local Energy Solutions Conference, Manchester, NH
- 11/8 Workshop: Bridging Human Dimensions Research and Practice to Address Water Quality Concerns in the Great Bay Watershed, Greenland, NH
- 12/5 Seacoast Climate Action Network (Seacoast CAN) – Community Conversation on Transportation and Climate Change, Portsmouth, NH
NH Comprehensive Climate Action Plan Kickoff Events:
The NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) invites you to participate in upcoming events to learn about and contribute to the development of the NH Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP). The CCAP will outline key measures for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the state. Your insights and feedback can help shape NH’s CCAP.
12/10, 5:30pm, online | 12/11, 9:00am, NHDES office in Concord, NH
Both events will offer participants the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the NHDES’ development of the CCAP. NHDES will cover:
- An overview of the CPRG program and the nine elements required by the EPA for the CCAP.
- NHDES’ plan to develop the CCAP, including plans for stakeholder and public engagement to identify and develop potential GHG reduction measures.
- Available resources and tools for identifying, selecting, and refining GHG reduction measures.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Elise Sullivan
The City of Dover and Town of Hampton are hiring resilience coordinators – please share if you know folks who might be interested!
Applications open soon for UNH Sustainability Fellowships for Summer 2025 – These Fellowships pair UNH undergraduate students, grad students, and recent grads) from UNH and universities across the United States with municipal, educational, corporate, and non-profit partners to work on sustainability projects. Learn more
New Resource
The U.S. Interagency Task Force on Sea Level Change recently launched the U.S. Sea Level Change website. This site provides federally supported data visualizations coupled with explanations and science education to help communities prepare for challenges that will affect our coastal environments. By showing how sea levels are changing regionally, the site provides a foundation to inform decision-making related to coastal planning, resource management, and emergency operations.
Funding Opportunities
- NHDES Local Source Water Protection Grant – applications due 11/1/2024
- National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) and NOAA’s Regional Collaboration Network are hosting a Heat Tabletop Exercise Planning Challenge to support development of Heat Tabletop Exercise Situation Manuals complete with realistic extreme heat scenarios to exercise heat action plans – applications due 11/15/2024
- EPA is accepting Letters of Interest (LOI) for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans; selection is on a rolling basis
Welcome, new CAW members!
In recent months, CAW has welcomed uite a few new members. Get to know some of them here!
NH Climate-related News
- NH Launches ‘Weather Catastrophe Response Team’ to help with disaster-related insurance claims | NHPR, Mara Hoplamazian
- A new program could offer financial help to NH communities when disaster strikes | NHPR, Mara Hoplamazian
- A pilot program wants to make it easier for NH doctors to talk about climate change | NHPR, Amanda Pirani
- Climate change will cause more ‘extreme’ weather events in New England | New England Public Media, Kari Niijiri
What are CAW members reading and listening to?
Here’s a roundup of what some CAW members are reading and listening to lately. Have more recommendations for us? Please send them our way!
- What If We Get It Right: Visions of Climate Futures, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
- Advocating for the Environment, Susan B. Inches
- You Are Here, Poetry in the Natural World, Ada Limón
- Eat Like a Fish
- Not Built For This
This newsletter is brought to you by the NH Coastal Adaptation Workgroup, a collaboration of organizations working to assist communities in NH’s coastal watershed to prepare for the impacts of extreme weather and long-term climate change by providing resources, facilitation, and guidance that enhances readiness and resilience.
www.nhcaw.org