New Resilience Tool Launched for Historic Triangle

News Summary

A new initiative called the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT) is set to enhance the Historic Triangle’s resilience against climate challenges like flooding. Collaborating with key universities, RAFT aims to support Virginia’s coastal areas in tackling climate-related risks. With a focus on community engagement, the program plans to hold a workshop where residents can voice their concerns. Recent assessments indicate promising resilience scores, but also highlight areas like stormwater management and affordable housing needing attention as the implementation phase progresses.

Williamsburg, VA – A new initiative called the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT) is being launched to bolster the Historic Triangle’s resilience against climate challenges like flooding. This program aims to assist Virginia’s coastal towns, cities, and counties in creating strategies to mitigate environmental, economic, and social risks associated with climate change.

RAFT has a proven track record in other regions, including the Eastern Shore, Northern Neck, and Middle Peninsula, where it has successfully helped communities manage their vulnerability to natural disasters. The program is a collaborative effort involving the University of Virginia, Old Dominion University, and Virginia Tech, reflecting a commitment to using academia to address pressing environmental issues.

Originally developed in 2015, the framework for RAFT emerged from the Institute for Engagement and Negotiation at the University of Virginia and the Virginia Coastal Policy Center at William & Mary Law School. The program’s pilot project began in 2017 and focused on coastal communities such as Portsmouth, Gloucester County, and Cape Charles. Since then, it has expanded its focus to include cities like Hopewell and Petersburg, as well as the Mattaponi and Upper Mattaponi Indian tribes. Currently, RAFT is also engaging with the Rappahannock and Nansemond Indian tribes and parts of Southwest Virginia.

The RAFT program is structured to address not just storm hazards but also economic and social challenges, with objectives evolving to incorporate a broader range of community needs. The implementation process involves three essential steps: assessing the community’s unique circumstances, conducting a public workshop to garner resident input, and creating a year-long implementation plan featuring monthly meetings to ensure continual progress and engagement.

Residents of the Historic Triangle can look forward to an upcoming community resilience workshop scheduled for August 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the James City County Recreation Center. This event aims to draw participants from Williamsburg, James City, and York County, providing them an opportunity to voice their concerns and suggestions regarding local resilience efforts.

Recent assessments conducted for James City County, Williamsburg, and York County have shown positive results. All three localities received resilience assessment scores of 74% or higher, indicating robust preparedness in areas like emergency management, planning, and community engagement. Of these, York County achieved the highest score at 81%, closely followed by James City County at 79%.

However, the assessment revealed some critical areas that need attention. In James City County, stakeholders noted challenges related to stormwater management, flooding mitigation, and access to centralized wastewater infrastructure. Additionally, the community identified affordable housing as a pressing need across the Historic Triangle, which may necessitate targeted efforts to address this issue within the RAFT framework.

As the RAFT initiative progresses, the one-year implementation phase is anticipated to kick off in September, after the community workshop. This upcoming phase will involve detailed planning and proactive measures to enhance resilience in the face of climate-related challenges. Overall, RAFT seeks to foster a collaborative environment where communities can develop comprehensive strategies to safeguard their future amid escalating climate threats.

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Additional Resources

• Daily Press: Program Could Help Historic Triangle Improve Its Response to Climate Issues
• Wikipedia: Climate Change Adaptation
• Governing: The Case for Paying Americans to Move Out of Floodplains
• Google Search: Floodplain Policy
• Washington Post: Climate Risk Resilience Factors in US Cities
• Google Scholar: Climate Resilience Urban Planning
• My Joy Online: West African Cities Embrace Risk-Informed Planning
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Urban Resilience