PROJECT PORTAL

New Hampshire Setting SAIL

The New Hampshire Setting SAIL project provided outreach and technical assistance to support state and municipal implementation of the New Hampshire Coastal Risk and Hazards Commission (CRHC) final report, Preparing New Hampshire for Projected Storm Surge, Sea-Level Rise and Extreme Precipitation. Project activities were designed to: 1) raise state agency and municipal awareness of CRHC recommendations; 2) assist Great Bay municipalities implement priority CRHC recommendations; and 3) provide capacity for state agencies to complete inventories of vulnerable state assets and coastal resilience audits of agency statutes and administrative rules.

Project Lead

New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Coastal Program

Funding

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
$250,000

Time Frame

Start: October 1, 2016
End: March 31, 2018
Invisible
Education & Outreach

Project partners conducted outreach to New Hampshire’s coastal municipalities and select state agencies to relay CRHC recommendations and assess municipal and state priorities.

Kick Off Municipal Workshops

Great Bay Workshop – March 23, 2017

Flyer | Agenda | Presentation | Great Bay CRHC Fact Sheet | Breakout Group Notes

Atlantic Coast Workshop – April 13, 2017

Flyer | Agenda | Presentation | Atlantic Coast CRHC Fact Sheet | Discussion Notes

Outreach to Conservation Commissions

Project partners convened meetings with Conservation Commissions in each of the 10 Great Bay municipalities.

Outreach to Other Municipal Boards / Commissions
  • Rollinsford Select Board (07/17/17)
  • Greenland Planning Board (10/05/17)
  • Newmarket Planning Board (10/10/17)
  • Durham Leadership Team (10/17/17)
  • Madbury Planning Board (11/15/17)
  • Dover Cocheco Waterfront Development Advisory Committee (11/21/17)
  • Portsmouth Climate Change Forum (03/30/17)
Outreach to State Agencies
  • NHDAS Leadership Team (06/27/16)
  • ACEC-NH/NHDES Meeting (10/28/16)
  • NHDES Watershed Management Bureau (11/18/16)
  • State Environmental Resilience Group (01/31/17; 03/23/17)
  • NHDOT  Senior Leadership Team (11/03/17)
  • State Agency Commissioners Group (03/22/17)
  • NHDES Senior Leadership (03/27/17)
Municipal Technical Assistance

Project partners delivered customized technical assistance to select Great Bay municipalities to prioritize and implement CRHC recommendations that meet their unique needs.

Completed Projects

Dover, NH – Climate Adaptation Master Plan Chapter

Durham, NH – Amendments to Flood Hazard Overlay District

Exeter, NH – Climate Change Open House & Amendments to Site Plan Review and Subdivision Regulations

Greenland, NH – Coastal Hazards and Adaptation Master Plan Chapter (DRAFT)

Madbury, NH – Extreme Weather Preparedness Workshop

Newington, NH – Outreach to Vulnerable Businesses and Master Plan Recommendations

Newmarket – Amendments to Site Plan and Subdivision Regulations (DRAFT)

Rollinsford, NH – Hazard Mitigation Letter of Intent (DRAFT)

Stratham, NH – Coastal Hazards and Adaptation Master Plan Chapter (DRAFT)

State Coordination & Assessment

NHDES staff provided capacity for select state agencies to coordinate audits of existing state statutes, rules, and policies as required by Chaptered Law 195 / SB 452. NHCP and NHFG staff also completed spatial inventories of vulnerable NHDES and NHFG assets.

SB 452 COORDINATION & IMPLEMENTATION (NHDES, NHDOT, DRED, NHFG)

NHDES staff developed a template approach for NHDES, NHDOT, DRED, and NHFG to implement Chaptered Law 195 / SB 452. The law requires NHDES, NHDOT, DRED, and NHFG conduct audits of their respective statutes, rules, and agency policies governing state properties, projects, and actions in the coastal and Great Bay regions and determine any changes necessary to enable authorities to take appropriate actions to prepare for projected storm surge, sea-level rise, and extreme precipitation. NHDES staff also completed NHDES’ audit and coordinated submission of interim and final reports to the Legislature.

SPATIAL INVENTORY OF VULNERABLE STATE ASSETS (NHDES, NHFG)

NHDES and NHFG staff developed a methodology and complete a spatial inventory of NHDES and NHFG assets located in the coastal zone that are potentially vulnerable to sea-level rise and storm surge flooding. Results will help NHDES and NHFG prioritize internal adaptation efforts and inform other agencies interested in completing a similar analysis for their respective assets.