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Coastal Resiliency Task Force Takes Aim at Climate Change

On Feb. 2, the Clinton Town Council approved the charge for a new coastal resiliency task force aimed at combating rising seas along the town’s coast.

Clinton’s seaside location is often cited as one of the best aspects of living in the town. But as a coastal town, it’s no secret that rising water levels are a threat to Clinton. To combat that threat, the council voted on Feb. 1 to form the Coastal Resiliency Committee (CRC). Members of the new committee will be formally named at the next meeting.

While no members were named, the council agreed that the committee will have seven regular members and two alternates, including representatives from the Town Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Conservation Commission, the Harbor Management Commission, and the Sustainability Committee.

Similar committees have been started in Westbrook and Old Saybrook, as well. Per its charge, the Clinton committee will work with the neighboring committees to develop a coastal resiliency plan.

“The plan will assess the impacts of climate change, including storm surge, flooding, extreme weather events, and sea level rise, and will identify community needs across cultural systems, historic assets, the local economy, infrastructure, facilities, and the needs of the natural environment,” the charge stated.

Additionally, the committee will be tasked with reviewing potential projects and existing policies that can help with coastal resiliency. The committee will be asked to remain in contact with similar groups in neighboring towns and at the state level. The committee will also periodically engage in public outreach and inform the town council of its progress.

The committee will be given support from town staff when needed.

Town Manager Karl Kilduff said that the groups that make up the committee need to meet and find interested members individually before the committee can start.

“The committee is made up of members from specific boards and commissions that have a stake in defining the town’s coastal resiliency plan and future direction. The groups need to meet in order to identify a member that will participate,” Kilduff said. “I would imagine that the Town Council would have a list of potential appointees once the different groups have had a meeting following the council’s decision to create the task force.”

Since Old Saybrook, Westbrook, and the Borough of Fenwick will also be coordinating on the project, Kilduff said that the CRC will identify one member that will participate in a regional discussion with the representatives from the other towns.

Westbrook formed its CRC last fall. That group was given an 18-month deadline from when it started meeting to hand in a report. Kilduff said a similar timeline will take place in Clinton.

“The timeline would be similar in that we are both relying on the regional planning effort to inform the direction of local plans and direction for future policies,” said Kilduff.