Sustainability & Environment News

Bath to Create Robust Community Climate Action Plan

City Seeks Input from Community

June 27, 2024

BATH, ME – Bath has officially launched Resilient Bath, an initiative to create an updated community Climate Action Plan (CAP) and chart a course towards a safer, stronger future for everyone.

The Resilient Bath Plan will lay out smart, practical strategies to reduce planet-warming climate pollution (greenhouse gas emissions) while investing in solutions like clean energy and building resilience to the climate change impacts that most affect Bath residents, like more intense storms, increased flooding, and unprecedented seasonal temperature changes.

“The City of Bath has been working on climate action items for over a decade, and most recently highlighted climate action as a major goal in its 2023 Comprehensive Plan. The CAP update effort recognizes that the challenges posed by a changing climate go far beyond City Hall and need to include broader action from the community to prepare for our shared future,” said Rod Melanson, the City’s Director of Sustainability & Environment.

The City kicked off the Resilient Bath planning process in January 2024 and aims to complete it in the fall. The City is gathering community input as part of this process, which includes participating in events and presentations and hosting a series of Advisory Groups comprised of local stakeholders, City Staff, and focus area experts. This input will help the City shape the Plan’s goals, strategies, and actions to best reflect the needs of the community.

“While this Plan will be engaging the community in smaller focused events and groups, it recognizes that continued community engagement goes well beyond the plan development,” said Melanson.

Bath invites community members to participate in an online survey. The City will conduct this survey throughout the summer and encourages all community members to participate. Participants will be entered to win one of four $25 Gift of Bath certificates from Main Street Bath.

“Bath needs you to be involved! Take the survey, keep an eye out for upcoming meetings and events, and share our resource page so that your neighbors are aware of all that is happening,” said Melanson.

Resilient Bath’s newly launched website cityofbathmaine.gov/ResilientBath provides an overview of the Plan timeline, focus areas, and ways that stakeholders can stay engaged throughout the process. The City will update the website regularly to keep the community informed of its progress.

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Contact: Rod Melanson, Director of Sustainability & Environment

Phone: 207.443.8363

Email: rmelanson@cityofbath.com

Website: https://www.cityofbathmaine.gov/ResilientBath

Municipal Facilities Plan

The City of Bath was successful in receiving its second Community Resiliency Partnership grant to conduct a municipal facility planning effort. The goal of the Municipal Facilities Plan is to provide, maintain, and model, high-performing facilities for staff, occupants, the public, and the broader environment. To identify items/ allocations to fund significant building improvements and deferred maintenance projects. Projects include but are not limited to upgrades of buildings (envelopes and structures), heating and ventilation systems to provide resilience in extreme weather events, strategic electrification in order to transition from fossil fuels in order to reduce municipal greenhouse gas emissions and reducing environmental impacts of department operations.

EV Charger Grant/ Installation

The City of Bath, partnering with the Patten Free Library will be installing four new public EV chargers at the Library Parking area on Summer St. This project is funded through the Efficiency Maine Trust EV Charger grant program.

Vulnerability Assessment

The City of Bath is kicking off a Vulnerability Assessment in the winter of 2022/2023. We have hired GEI consultants to conduct the assessment.

What is a Vulnerability Assessment? 

Vulnerability assessments (VA)’s are an approach for synthesizing information on biophysical conditions, infrastructure, economics, social characteristics and other locally important factors. They provide a framework and iterative process for examining vulnerabilities and evaluating potential intervention. 

What Vulnerability Assessments are useful for. 

• Identifying and prioritizing threats
• Assessing local vulnerability across different sectors
• Guiding decision-making for specific mitigation strategies that reduce vulnerability
• Advancing discourse and dialog about adaptation and resilience
• Using language and indicators that reflect local concerns
• Identifying and strategizing funding for the accompanying range of necessary adaptation measures

Council Voted to Adopt an updated Climate Resolution

On August 3rd, the Council voted update a Climate Resolution. The resolution was developed by the Bath Climate Action Commission over many months. The resolution sets ambitious goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preparing & managing for sea level rise, and aligning local polices with the Maine Won’t Wait Climate Action Plan. For more information about the resolution please see this INFORMATION SHEET

Resilient Bath Initiative

The Resilient Bath Initiative developed a series of outreach and educational guidance documents for residents and businesses to assist in their efforts to seek more efficient buildings and transportation options. The Resilient Bath Initiative provides the "Climate Conversations" community events. This ongoing event series can be accessed at the Climate Conversation page.

LED Streetlights 

December 2022

Bath City Council authorized the purchase and conversion to LED of all of the streetlights within the City of Bath. Working with RealTerm Energy, we will conduct an audit of all lights within the City, conduct a design plan for replacement, and install new LED fixtures. We anticipate a significant cost savings and carbon emission reduction as a result of this conversion. Learn more here.

Food Waste Composting

The Bath Solid Waste Advisory Committee successfully launched a backyard composting program and delivered 100 compost bins for free to residents who were interested. The committee is monitoring the usage, offering guidance, conducting surveys, and working with the Department of Public Works to manage the program.

WindowDressers

The Bath Climate Action Commission sponsored this week long community build of window inserts. The event was held at the Freight Shed, where we coordinated with Maine’s First Ship to take over the space for the week to build inserts. Over 130 inserts were built by more than 30 volunteers. This program helps homeowners reduce their energy costs and consumption throughout cold winters. Learn more about the program at the WindowDresser website.