Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport are working to build resilience to climate change. With support from local partners and the state, the towns are developing a community-driven Climate Impact Vulnerability Assessment, intended to provide the foundation for a regional climate action plan. 

This assessment will provide an understanding of how climate change impacts our region now and in the future. It focuses on risks such as sea level rise, storm surge, extreme weather, flooding, and power outages.  

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, $1 spent on climate resilience and preparedness saves communities $13 in damages, cleanup costs, and economic impact. The towns are partnering with Sunrise Ecologic, with support from local volunteer climate action teams to identify ways to reduce risk and protect important assets including roads, utilities, public spaces, and natural areas. By acting now, we can take smart steps to protect our future and make it easier to access climate adaptation funding, reducing long-term costs to taxpayers.   

We’re currently identifying vulnerable areas and collecting data in each town. This includes reviewing infrastructure, ecosystems, flood risk, and emergency preparedness, as well as making connections with community members to understand current and future climate impacts.  

Community input is essential. We held a public meeting on May 15 and are distributing surveys until the end of July to hear from as many people as possible. Whether you live here full-time, visit seasonally, run a business, or represent a local group, your insights matter.  

Please get involved by: 

• Completing a survey: tinyurl.com/23ts3aua 

• Attending a public meeting (next one in spring 2026) 

• Contacting your town’s climate action team to learn about upcoming small group discussions on priority topics like storm preparedness and transportation 

Together, we can help the Boothbay region face climate challenges and remain a thriving coastal community. 

For more information, contact: 

Boothbay Region Climate Action Team – BRclimate@gmail.com 

Southport Climate Action Team – Southportclimate@gmail.com