The Sustainability and Resilience Division has a new work plan! The work plan lays out program goals, pilot objectives, and project timelines. Check it out here.

There’s a lot happening for sustainability and resilience in southern Maine. In this newsletter check out:

• The first Southern Maine Community Action Workshop on November 13th.
• Updates to the Community Resilience Partnership.
• Electric grid resilience planning.
• Kittery climate resilient design project kick-off.
• Service Provider town updates.
• York County transportation emissions report updates.
• Funding, training, and resources.

Registration is now open! Municipal staff, committee members, and community organizations, join SMPDC and the University of New England for the Southern Maine Climate Action Workshop on Wednesday, November 13th from 9:30am to 3:00pm at UNE’s Biddeford Campus.

This workshop is designed to foster collaboration on implementing impactful climate actions in southern Maine. The workshop will feature a panel discussion showcasing towns actively pursuing their climate action plans, breakout sessions on implementing climate actions in specific focus areas, and a keynote address from climate expert Susanne Moser, Ph.D. 

The Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) has announced the new round of Community Action Grants and Service Provider Grants, along with a number of updates to the Community Resilience Partnership program.

The maximum award amount for Community Action Grants has been increased to $75,000 for individual projects and $175,000 for joint projects. To be eligible for a Community Action Grant, communities must be enrolled in the Community Resilience Partnership. Community Action Grants can support two categories of climate action by communities; actions from the List of Community Actions, an approved list of climate mitigation and adaptation activities that align with the strategies of Maine Won’t Wait, and other projects proposed by a community that support capacity building, planning, and implementation projects. Click here for the grant program statement.

Service Provider Grants support service provider organizations, like SMPDC, to assist communities with climate action, energy and resilience planning. Click here to read the Service Provider grant program statement. There is a new grant opportunity is being offered this round for Service Providers. There are now two Service Provider Grant Tracks:

• Track 1: Community Enrollment Service Provider Grants enable organizations to assist two to five Communities to prepare for and enroll in the Community Resilience Partnership and then apply for grant funds to undertake priority climate and energy projects.  

• Track 2: Community Vulnerability Assessment Service Provider Grants enable organizations to assist two to five enrolled/enrolling Communities to complete community vulnerability assessments that identify vulnerable community members, infrastructure, and assets, and then utilize that data to further prioritize climate action projects and apply for grant funds. 

If you have questions, would like more information on the Community Resilience Partnership, or would like to talk to SMPDC about enrolling via a Service Provider grant, please email Melanie Nash at mnash@smpdc.org.

The four current Service Provider Grant communities, Alfred, Hollis, Parsonsfield, and South Berwick, are making progress toward their enrollment in the Community Resilience Partnership. After holding workshops to hear from their community on potential grant projects, each town will pass a municipal resolution to state their intent to participate in the Partnership and begin work on their Community Action Grant applications. 

 Alfred held their workshop on September 10th, in concert with that evening’s Select Board meeting. Their municipal resolution passed on October 1st, and they are now working toward their Community Action Grant application for a municipal energy assessment and LED lighting upgrades in a municipal building.

Parsonsfield’s workshop was a Fall Climate Fair community event on September 28th. The town is now working on passing their resolution and selecting a project based on community feedback.

An update to SMPDC’s 2021 report Estimating On-Road Transportation Emissions in York County is underway. This report by outlines a methodology to estimate transportation emissions for all towns and cities in York County, using traffic data from the StreetLight platform. The updated report will include annual transportation emissions estimates since 2020, provide current emission factor sets, and incorporate an evaluation of the impacts of electric vehicle adoption on York County transportation emissions.

Estimating on-road transportation emissions helps municipalities set emissions reduction targets and prioritize emission mitigation strategies. By calculating on-road transportation emissions for all of York County, it is possible to compare emissions across communities, identify regional emission patterns, and develop regional mitigation strategies.