Climate action planning offers communities many advantages, allowing them to confront the complexities of climate change while enhancing their economic, environmental, and social prosperity.
HCPC can help your municipality or committee create and implement a community-backed climate action plan. The plan would guide the execution of impactful measures and track advancements toward a community’s climate adaptation and mitigation goals.
HCPC will also draft a chapter on Climate Change for a municipality’s comprehensive plan. This chapter can be a good starting point for other climate-related projects. To learn more about climate change in Maine and the Maine Won’t Wait Plan, CLICK HERE.
Climate Change Resources
The Hancock County Planning Commission (HCPC) will assist towns in Hancock County in identifying and preparing policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and accommodating climate change. We are working with Maine state agencies and local organizations to help communities prepare for and adapt to climate change-related events. Here are resources we refer to regularly for climate change-related work:
- Maine Community Resilience Workbook
- The Nature Conservancy’s Maine Mapping Portal
- Impacts of Climate Change Across Maine
- Maine Won’t Wait Plan
- Maine Won’t Wait for Climate Action Dashboard
- Island Institute Storm Recovery Resources
- Island Institute Climate Solutions
- Municipal Climate Adaptation Guidance Series: Comprehensive Planning
- Maine Flood Resilience Checklist
Community Resilience Partnership
The Community Resilience Partnership provides direction and grants in support of municipal, Tribal Government, and regional climate projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Once enrolled, communities can apply for between $5,000 and $50,000 (collaborative proposals up to $125,000) to help pay for various activities their residents prioritize.
| Community Action Grants (up to $50,000) | Energy Efficiency Priorities Grants (up to $100,000) | Service Provider Grants |
|---|---|---|
| Enables eligible communities to implement projects that reduce energy use and costs, transition to clean energy, and make communities in Maine more resilient to climate change. This round of Community Action Grants is open to enrolled communities that have not yet received a Community Action Grant award. The next round of Community Action Grants in the fall of 2024 will open to all enrolled communities. View the Program Statement and Application Form | This is a special, one-time grant offering through the Community Resilience Partnership to distribute federal funds to disadvantaged communities for projects that improve energy efficiency and implement clean energy systems. GOPIF anticipates making 10 awards of approximately $100,000 each to eligible communities through a competitive Request for Applications (RFA) process. To be eligible, communities must be enrolled in the Partnership AND be designated as “disadvantaged” by the federal EPA CEJST tool. See RFA for full eligibility requirements. View RFA and Application Form | Grants to service provider organizations to assist communities to prepare for and enroll in the Community Resilience Partnership and then apply for grant funds to undertake priority projects. View the Program Statement and Application Form |
Find out more about the Community Resilience Partnership here.
HCPC assists municipalities wanting to take advantage of this opportunity. If you want to apply for one of these grants or enroll in the partnership, email Janna Richards at jrichards@hcpcme.org.
Vulnerability Assessments
A climate vulnerability assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of a particular region, community, or system to understand its susceptibility and resilience to the impacts of climate change. It involves analyzing various factors such as exposure to climate hazards (like extreme weather events, sea level rise, or changes in temperature and precipitation patterns), the sensitivity of the system or community to those hazards, and its adaptive capacity to cope with or recover from them.
These assessments typically consider a range of sectors, including but not limited to agriculture, water resources, infrastructure, public health, biodiversity, and socio-economic factors. By identifying vulnerabilities, strengths, and areas for improvement, these assessments provide valuable insights for policymakers, planners, and stakeholders to develop strategies for adaptation and resilience-building efforts. Vulnerability assessments can also help inform comprehensive plans and zoning regulations.