The Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission and Boothbay Harbor Board of Selectmen decided last year to combine efforts in a coastal resiliency project assessing potential flooding of the town’s waterfront businesses and town properties due to climate change. This will be the second report in the area after the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District reviewed its findings this past January.

“The report isn’t expected to be complete until August,” said Robert Faunce, Lincoln County Planner and project manager. “But the project will be identifying any potential susceptibility to flooding, looking at doors, windows, and vents of waterfront buildings as well as effects on buildings on pilings and propane tanks. Then after the surveyor determines the level of flooding, all the data will be compiled.”

The project received a $28,000 grant from the Maine Coastal Program. Selectmen approved $5,000 in matching funds and the LCRPC committed $2,000.

The firm Milone and MacBroom was brought on board as the engineering consultant to provide the 19 businesses participating in the project with individual recommendations and cost reports based on the data. Faunce said all recommendations will be strictly informational and that no one is held to the suggestions.

“It’s nice that Boothbay Harbor got in on this,” said Faunce. “A couple of the selectmen were saying that they approved the match in funds for the simple fact that if just one or two buildings can be saved, it makes the $5,000 worth it. The town is beautiful. The waterfront is beautiful. So, with the way things are, all we need is that one storm.”