CAW Newsletter: Summer 2024
Key Takeaways from the 2024 NH Climate Summit
Many thanks to all who participated in CAW’s 2024 NH Climate Summit last month! This was CAW’s 11th Summit event, and our first time returning to an in-person format since the pandemic. We had a fantastic group of around 90 participants, around half of whom were first time attendees. The presentation slides, recordings, resource packet, and more are available online. Amy Sauber from the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership pulled together some key takeaways from the day.
The Summit was made possible by generous sponsors – HydroPredictions, Horsley Witten Group, EF Design and Planning, LLC, and an anonymous CAW member; contributions from the NHDES Coastal Program and Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership; as well as Strawbery Banke Museum and the Player’s Ring Theatre for donating their spaces for use during the Summit.
Congratulations to the 2024 CAW Community Champions!
Kristen Murphy is the Conservation and Sustainability Planner for the town of Exeter. She also volunteers on the Open Lands Committee and the Conservation Commission in Dover. Kristen is an oft-requested advisor and contributor to projects relevant not only for Exeter, but for other communities within the coastal watershed. Kristen is a valued member of CAW and contributor to CAW Talks, a peer-to-peer learning cohort of coastal community leaders focused on building climate resilience. Her local knowledge, strong relationships, and experience with planning, policy, and permitting improve the likely success of local projects. Kristen is an example of a community leader who simultaneously strengthens knowledge, capacity, and connections in ways that benefit her community and all of us.
Jason Bachand is the town planner for Hampton where his thoughtful, dependable, and collaborative leadership style is making a difference. Two particular efforts demonstrate Jason’s ability to develop both high quality products and high quality processes, a winning combination for getting things done. For Hampton’s Master Plan “Our Town, Our Future,” Jason embarked on a dedicated effort to include a Coastal Resilience section. When it came to developing a sea level rise design zoning ordinance, Jason once again used a highly engaged process that incorporated multiple perspectives and the best available coastal climate science. The resulting Sea-level Rise Design Flood Elevation zoning ordinance is the first in the State of NH to require elevation of all new, substantially improved, and substantially damaged buildings based on sea-level rise projections. Thanks to Jason’s leadership, people in Hampton will be safer and buildings will be better protected into the future.
Picturing Rising Tides Traveling Gallery
The 2024 Picturing Rising Tides Photo Exhibit has been traveling around the seacoast. The Exhibit is currently at the Langdon Public Library in Newington through 8/18, then heading to the Seabrook Library for the latter half of August and the Durham Public Library in September.
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 603-559-9101 / lucy.l.perkins@des.nh.gov or Lisa Wise 603-696-4078 / lisa.wise@unh.edu.
Upcoming EVENTS
Emergency Preparedness Workshop
Wednesday, 8/21, 4:30-6:30pm – Seabrook Public Library, 25 Liberty Lane, Seabrook, NH
The Seacoast Public Health Network is collaborating with the Flood Ready Neighborhoods Program to offer a workshop aimed at building community resilience. This workshop equips individuals and families with the tools to create emergency plans, build emergency kits, and understand the necessary actions to take during a disaster. Dinner and childcare provided.
Contact scrowell@seacoastphn.org, the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Coordinator, with any questions.
Community Climate Conversations: Climate Change and Kids’ Health
Wednesday, 8/21, 6:30-8:00pm – Portsmouth Public Library, 175 Parrott Ave, Portsmouth
Join Portsmouth Climate Action/Seacoast Climate Action, NH Healthy Climate and their CHICKs (Climate and Health Initiative for Caregivers and Kids) program for a community conversation about climate change and its impact on children’s health. This monthly discussion series was formed to discuss climate issues and solutions for our community.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), children, including adolescents under age 18, are often more vulnerable than the general population to the health impacts of climate change. Some topics to be discussed include asthma, the impact of exposure to toxins like PFAS and plastics on health and development, climate anxiety, and how heat can adversely affect children. The goal is to discuss actions and solutions to reduce risk and exposure.
LOCAL VOLUNTEER & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Check out the Great Bay Changemaker Program fall Bootcamp! This year’s program will focus on the Lamprey River, but anyone from the region can apply. Bootcamp participants will learn about how to become champions for healthy waters through four evening sessions that feature engaging panelists and activities as well as dinner and stipends. The first session starts September 19th and will be held in Epping. Learn More and Apply
Opportunity to join the Cocheco River Local Advisory Committee – The Committee is looking to identify up to four individuals interested in serving on the committee to represent the City of Dover. Currently, Dover is not represented on the Committee. Members must reside in NH and may represent a broad range of interests including local government, business, conservation interests, recreation, agriculture, and riparian landowners (those who own property adjacent to the river). Each member serves a term of three years. The nomination form can be found on the NHDES website. Contact John Mullen Jr. if you have any questions about the Committee, or Tracie Sales (603-271-2959) if you have any questions about the nomination process.
The Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC) is hiring a Land Use and Resilience Planner!
RPC is seeking to add to their team of community resilience oriented regional planners. As a member of the Land Use and Resilience team, you will play a crucial role in developing and implementing land use plans that enhance the resilience of our communities. You will work closely with stakeholders, municipal boards, community organizations, and private sector partners, to create strategies that mitigate risks and promote sustainable development. Check out the position details here.
Adapting Together: Celebrating a Successful Launch of a Community Resilience Workshop Series
Annie Cox, from the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP), shared highlights from a workshop series held this spring. The series was a first step in co-developing a program to advance community resilience in the Great Bay watershed. Cumulatively, the Adapting Together series was attended by 83 technical assistance providers, funders, residents, municipal staff, and nonprofits, representing 30 communities. Adapting Together is funded by Great Bay 2030.
CAW Members Elevated their Knowledge at the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASPFM) Conference in Utah
CAW Outreach co-chair Jennifer Gilbert (NHDES Coastal Program) shared highlights and resources from the 48th annual Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) national conference. In late June, Jennifer, along with Lisa Wise (UNH Cooperative Extension/NH Sea Grant) and Lucy Perkins (NHDES Coastal Program), headed to Salt Lake City, Utah for this conference. The theme of this year’s conference was “resiliency is life elevated” and the sessions highlighted the power of partnerships and resilience, which is something we could all relate to as CAW members. The conference, which was the first for Lisa and Lucy and the sixth for Jennifer, proved to be a great learning and networking experience.
New Hampshire’s Flood Disclosure Bill Signed into Law
On July 19, 2024, Governor Sununu signed HB 1320 into law. The new law requires that prior to the execution of a purchase and sale agreement for real property that flood risks be disclosed to the buyer. Representative Chris Muns (Rockingham – District 29) of Hampton was the prime bill sponsor. Although the bill unanimously passed the House, the original bill was significantly amended in committee. The bill also unanimously passed in the Senate with an amendment. The following is a summary of the amended bill’s notification requirements.
Funding Opportunities
- NHDES Local Source Water Protection Grant – applications due 11/1/2024
- Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership (GBRPP) grant programs:
- Land Transaction Grant – applications due 10/4/2024
- Stewardship 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
Welcome, new CAW members!
In recent months, CAW has welcomed new members. NH Sea Grant Doyle Fellow, Miles Keefe, who supported CAW activities this summer, collected brief intros from some of these new members. Get to know them here!
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
- The Nineties: A Book – Chuck Klosterman
- Emergent Strategy – Adrienne Maree Brown
- Podcasts: Matter of Opinion, In The Dark
- Article: The High Line Opened 15 Years Ago. What Lessons Has It Taught Us?
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