Economic Scorecard Helps Coastal Communities Assess Best Places for Offshore Wind Facilities

Although other nations have used offshore wind facilities for decades, the technology is relatively new to the U.S. and the growth potential is large. Some communities, however, are concerned that wind facilities might have a negative impact on coastal tourism and recreation. For this reason a “scorecard” was developed that ranks potential impacts for 113 Atlantic coast geographies, primarily counties. Community profiles were also created for the 70 counties most vulnerable to negative impacts from wind energy facilities.

This information is used by counties assessing the pros and cons of wind energy facilities. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management created these assessments using economic data provided through NOAA’s Digital Coast and their Economics: National Ocean Watch initiative. (2016)

More information: coast.noaa.gov/dataregistry/search/collection/info/enow

Partners: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, IFC Incorporated, NOAA Office for Coastal Management

Rhode Island Newspaper Lauds Coastal Management Program as Environmental Leader

Rhode Island has a new weapon to use in its efforts to address sea level rise, storm surge, and erosion, says the Providence Journal. By logging on to www.beachsamp.org, people can see how their community, or a specific property, might be impacted during a severe storm and in conjunction with sea level rise of up to five feet.

The models that supply this information are more precise than those used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and take into account newer climate change predictions. Shoreline erosion maps are also available, as well as updated information about salt marsh losses.

This tool is part of a larger effort by the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council and the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Sea Grant to address coastline change caused by storm surge and rising sea levels. The effort is helping cities and towns identify areas most vulnerable to flooding and providing useful information to coastal homeowners.

A particular focus is Washington County, which the agency expects to be hit particularly hard by the effects of climate change. Planning, of course, is just half the battle. Prevention efforts could range from revising building codes and moving historic properties to shortening the design life of infrastructure projects. Some homeowners may choose to retrofit houses for greater resilience. Others may elect to move away from threatened areas. Many commercial establishments will have to make similar calculations.

Grover Fugate, director of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, says that with 400 miles of coastline, Rhode Island cannot afford to ignore the implications of climate change. “We’re the most vulnerable state in New England.” With respect to planning, Fugate says Rhode Island is in many ways ahead of the curve. Preparing for the long-term effects of climate change, however, requires continuous commitment, along with a willingness to adapt as new information arises. NOAA supports the Coastal Resources Management Council through its National Coastal Zone Management Program partnership.

Partners: NOAA, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, Rhode Island Sea Grant

Marsh Mapping Techniques Piloted in Rhode Island

Monitoring data from the Narragansett Bay Research Reserve and the Rhode Island Salt Marsh Assessment show that rapid degradation of salt marshes in the area is likely caused by sea level rise. Resource managers and policy makers needed baseline maps to see how fast these changes were occurring and pinpoint areas most at risk.

NOAA testing methods and technologies looked promising, but a pilot site was needed to understand how to apply the techniques in Rhode Island. The Narragansett Bay reserve had multiple years of data for Coggeshall Marsh on Prudence Island, making it a prime site to pilot the mapping application. The successful pilot has led the way for a statewide application that will produce the much-needed maps of current salt marsh extent and composition. (2016)

More information: http://nbnerr.org/

Partners: Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, U.S. Department of the Interior

Role-Playing Game Effective for Climate Change Planning

“Serious games” was an approach used to help four communities talk about climate change. More than 500 people participated in role-play climate change adaptation workshops. Four research reserves and other project partners, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists, led the effort.

One municipality was Cranston, Rhode Island, where flooding from precipitation represented a big problem. The role playing exercise coincided with an effort to update the city’s hazard mitigation plan. The role-play simulations were so powerful that many of the concepts and findings were incorporated into Cranston’s hazard mitigation plan and are being shared with other communities. (2016)

More information: www.nerra.org/projects/game-changer-new-england-climate-change-adaptation-project

Partners: City of Cranston, Rhode Island, City of Dover, New Hampshire, Consensus Building Institute, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Maine Sea Grant, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Science Impact Collaborative, Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, Town of Wells, Maine, University of New Hampshire, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve

New Tool to Predict Storm Inundation

The Rhode Island Coastal Management Program, working with the University of Rhode Island and others, developed a simplified model to predict storm inundation.

STORMTOOLS uses NOAA data to provide storm surge predictions for 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year storm events. Users can also see how sea level rise scenarios of 1, 2, 3, or 5 feet impacts inundation. Different attribute features, such as the location of critical facilities, can also be layered in. This storm planning and recovery tool lets users compare modeled inundation scenarios with historical flooding events.

The tool is part of a larger effort of the coastal program and its partners to improve state policies on shoreline change. (2016)

More information: www.beachsamp.org/resources/stormtools

Partners: Rhode Island Coastal Management Program, University of Rhode Island

Permits Issued for First Offshore Wind Farm

The country’s first offshore wind farm received the needed permits from the State of Rhode Island in 2014. Crucial to the approval was the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program and the Ocean Special Area Management Plan, the guiding document for the project and permitting of the wind farm. Promoting alternative energy is part of the official policy of the state, and with the guidance of the coastal management program, officials believe the five-turbine Deepwater Wind will be in the best interest of the environment as well.

Tony Affigne, a member of the state’s Coastal Resources Management Council commented: “I think any of us can answer questions from the public about the work that we’ve done to make sure that this agreement is in the best interest of the state.” (2016)

More information: www.dwwind.com/press/block-island-wind-farm-receives-first-major-project-permits-2

Partners: Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program, Ocean Special Area Management Plan, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management