The Southport Climate Action Team (SCAT), together with Sunrise Ecologic and Sea Grant, would like to thank everyone who took part in the recent Climate Action Planning public workshops. These sessions were the first step in a community-driven, long-term plan to address climate challenges, made possible with the support of the state's Community Resilience Partnership (CRP).

Every person involved plays a crucial role in strengthening our community.

This message aims to share the insights from the Oct. 12 workshop, where participants worked in groups to identify solutions for the climate issues discussed in the Sept. 28 workshop.

Listed below are the key climate actions we've identified. Your thoughts are important to us. Southport residents are encouraged to contact SCAT at SouthportClimate@gmail.com with comments or feedback before Nov. 13:

1. Alert System/Evacuation Route/Communications Plan: This is a top priority and can be achieved relatively quickly.

2. Vulnerability Assessment: This helps us evaluate risks systematically, using essential data to support our decisions.

3. Water Quality and Quantity Assessment and Plan: This addresses important concerns of our citizens and can be executed in a methodical way.

4. Coastal Facilities/Ecosystem Protection: Recognizing the importance of nature and coastal infrastructure in our daily lives, jobs, property values, and more.

5. Climate Action Plan: A comprehensive strategy for the future, dependent on completing a vulnerability assessment.

Our team is carefully considering the costs of a communication system and evacuation structure. We've received information from GOPIF about the funding limit. Access to the $62,500 depends on collaborating with Boothbay. As Boothbay's priorities are pending, we are working with a budget of $50,000. We expect to present these priorities to the Selectboard at their regular meeting on Wednesday, November 15th. A Municipal Resolution will be passed during this session. We will keep you updated on the next steps as we move towards enrolling in the CRP and applying for the Community Action Grant.

We want to express our deepest gratitude for your vital role in strengthening our community against the impacts of climate change.

The Southport Climate Action Team (SCAT) is made up of dedicated community volunteers: Smith Climo, Claire Tomlin, Kathy Jacobs, and Ella Long. They can be reached by emailing SouthportClimate@gmail.com.