In the spring of 2021, New Shoreham began the process of certification for the state of Rhode Island’s Municipal Resilience Plan. As part of the certification process, according to the report provided to the Planning Board on November 10, the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and The Nature Conservancy provided the town with a “community-driven process to assess current hazard and climate change impacts” on Block Island. Additionally, the RIIB and TNC worked to come up with projects,plans, and policies for improved resilience. Town Planner Allison Ring explained to the Planning Board on November 10 that participation in the state resiliency plan afforded New Shoreham the ability to qualify for state grants and aid for resiliency projects. Ring did not go through the report generated by the certification process with the Planning Board, but it is available on the town’s website.
The town employed a community-driven process called Community Resilience Building, using the New Shoreham Local Hazard Mitigation plan of 2017 and the Comprehensive Plan of 2016, along with the information, experience, and dialogue of the participants. Participants included representatives from the various town departments such as Land Use, Harbors, Public Works, and members of the community. The New
