Community Climate Action Priority Ranking

Background
Along with other municipalities in Maine, the City of Ellsworth has the opportunity to apply to join the Maine Community Resilience Partnership.  The Community Resilience Partnership assists Maine communities in reducing carbon emissions, transitioning to clean energy, and becoming more resilient to the effects of hazardous weather events such as flooding, rising sea levels, extreme temperatures, and public health impacts. Becoming a member of the Partnership opens up new funding opportunities for the City to plan and implement priority projects that support the goals and strategies of “Maine Won’t Wait”, the State’s Four-Year Climate Action Plan released in December 2020 (https://www.maine.gov/climateplan/). 
 
YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED!
As the City considers applying to join the Partnership, we need your help in determining which types of projects are of the highest priority for Ellsworth.  The Partnership has provided a list of Strategy Areas and associated Community Actions.  The Strategy Areas, with example actions, are listed below. 
Instructions: Please rank the following Strategy Areas as either High Priority, Moderate Priority, Low Priority, or Not a Priority.

Thank You!

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* 1. I am an Ellsworth resident (6+ months of residency/ year)

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* 2. I am an Ellsworth business owner or property owner

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* 3. Strategy A: Embrace the Future of Transportation
- Support the transition to Electric Vehicles
- Support strategies to reduce overall traffic, such as telecommuting, public transportation, bike/ped infrastructure, incentivizing infill development

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* 4. Strategy B: Modernize Maine's Buildings
- Support actions to advance the design/ construction of new buildings, such as energy efficiency, solar and EV charging readiness
- Support transition to cleaner heating/cooling systems

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* 5. Strategy C: Reduce Emissions through Clean Energy Innovations
- Support actions that encourage the use of renewable energy sources locally or in municipal operations

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* 6. Strategy D: Grow Jobs and Protect Natural Resource Industries
- Support actions to enhance Maine’s natural resource economy, such as local food production/consumption and the use of Maine forest products in building construction
- Encourage clean energy sector companies/businesses to locate in the City/region

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* 7. Strategy E: Protect the Environment and Improve Natural Climate Solutions
- Support actions to protect natural and working lands and waters, such as through land conservation, watershed planning, natural resource inventories, floodplain protection, shoreline stabilization

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* 8. Strategy F: Build Healthy & Resilient Communities
-Support actions to reduce flood risk, such as through stormwater management planning and infrastructure
-Support actions to strengthen public health, such as through mosquito/tick-borne disease prevention
-Support actions to strengthen community resilience, such as through natural hazard vulnerability assessments

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* 9. Strategy G: Invest in Climate- Ready Infrastructure
- Conduct vulnerability assessments specific to critical community infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water supply, wastewater discharge, dams, etc.

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* 10. Strategy H: Engage Maine's Public
-Increase public awareness of climate change impacts
-Engage the business community and encourage energy reduction strategies

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