The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ CoastSmart Communities Program is offering free technical assistance to communities to undertake risk assessment and planning for flooding, storm surges, increased precipitation and sea level rise. The following information comes from a recent announcement:
Do you need FREE Technical Assistance to help understand and plan for the RISK associated with FLOODING, STORM SURGE, INCREASED PRECIPITATION & SEA LEVEL RISE
If YES, then APPLY to work collaboratively with the CoastSmart Communities Program & NOAA to assess risk and vulnerability in your Community.
How will this benefit my Community?
- Identify what and who is at risk in your community
- Visualize the risk (i.e display maps & data layers)
- Provide information that can be incorporated into short & long term planning, hazard mitigation and emergency management
- Access to experts from Dept of Natural Resources, NOAA and MORE
- Position your community to be more competitive when applying for grant funds through the CoastSmart Communities program
What services will be provided to my community?
- FREE Technical Assistance
- Synthesis and analysis of data and information that can be integrated into existing planning processes
- Develop products that are driven by the community’s needs that can be used to aid response, recovery, and resiliency
What commitments will this require of my community?
- Identify a point person to be part of the project team & participate in monthly calls/meetings
- Project length–September 1, 2014–October 31, 2015
- Local personnel will spend on average 10 hrs per month
- Multiple departments participate in up to 3 in person meetings
Who Should Apply?
- Communities that have started planning and implementing measures to reduce the impacts of flooding but have not done an integrated assessment on who and what is at risk.
- Communities that are planning updates to their hazard mitigation, emergency management, comprehensive or other existing plans.
How do I Apply?
- Fill out the APPLICATION FORM
- Submit application to Sasha Land (sasha.land@maryland.gov) by Wed, Aug 20, 2014
What happens after I Apply?
- Your application will be reviewed by the project team
- The top two communities will be contacted by the community team to discuss application
- ONE Community will be selected
The Project Team consists of experts from the CoastSmart Communities Program, the MD Coastal Training Program & NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. The intent is to link data, science and information to local planning processes for response, recovery and resilience to the impacts of flooding and changes in climate.
