Maine Flood Resilience Checklist

The Maine Flood Resilience Checklist is a non-regulatory self-assessment tool that allows coastal and inland communities of all sizes to evaluate their vulnerability to flooding and sea level rise, examine areas where current policy and action could use improvements to better address the vulnerabilities, and identify specific strategies and actions to enhance flood resilience. The Checklist is designed to be completed through an interdepartmental, facilitated discussion between decision-makers and key municipal planning, management, emergency and enforcement staff.

The Checklist is a series of yes/no questions based on resilience indicators in five main categories:

  • Risk and Vulnerability
  • Critical Infrastructure and Facilities
  • Community Planning
  • Social and Economic Vulnerability
  • Natural Environment

The Social and Economic Vulnerability section focuses on vulnerable populations and economic resources that could experience combined higher risk factors along with coastal flooding and sea level rise impacts - and offers practical strategies for decreasing vulnerability. Some of the questions guiding the consideration of vulnerable populations include:

 

 

  • Has your community identified and assessed the following traditionally vulnerable populations located in areas vulnerable to existing and potential future flood hazards and considered them in flood hazard risk, preparedness, and response activities?: Elderly populations, Households below the poverty level, Residents without vehicle access, Disabled individuals, Non-native English speakers, Service industry/tourism-based workers, Homeless populations, Working waterfront workers?
  • Does your community encourage businesses located in flood hazard areas to purchase flood insurance?
  • Does your community have business-supported groups (e.g., Chamber of Commerce) that assist local businesses with assessing vulnerability, flood hazard preparation, and hazard mitigation and adaptation?


Additional resources and recommendations for next steps are provided in Appendix A to support follow-up action and encourage the integration of existing and potential flood hazards into community planning, policies and regulations.

The Maine Flood Resilience Checklist incorporates FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) related information to help communities identify practices within the tool that may provide CRS credit. Appendices B and C offer additional information about Checklist elements that relate to the CRS - which rewards community policyholders with reduced flood insurance premiums when the community’s floodplain management practices exceed minimum NFIP standards.

 

Publication Date: August 2017

Related Organizations:

  • Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry

Sectors:

Resource Category:

Resource Types:

  • Tool (general)

States Affected:

Impacts:

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