The Resilience Committee focuses on preparing for and mitigating risks associated with climate change and other environmental challenges while supporting sustainable practices. It was established in 2022 to subsume the Ad Hoc Sea Level Rise Committee—the Resilience Committee continues this work on sea level rise but also looks at a broader range of issues, such as extreme storms and rising energy costs. The Committee has been proactive and innovative in addressing these challenges, which is critical for protecting residents’ quality of life, preserving the town’s infrastructure and economy, ensuring access to emergency services, and reducing future municipal expenses.

In 2022, the Committee’s chair at the time, Richard Bates, cold-called several engineering companies to see if they’d be willing to work with the Town to assess our vulnerability to sea level rise. Only one was interested: Sebago Technics, who was looking for a town like us to partner with on this type of well-engineered, community-approved plan. After a series of community conversations and on-the-ground data collection, St. George’s Sea Level Rise Vulnerability & Resiliency Assessment was completed in 2024. It analyzed which sites are most vulnerable to sea level rise and estimated costs of potential mitigation actions, giving a concrete view of priorities and risks. Simultaneously, the Midcoast Council of Governments completed a Working Waterfront Vulnerability Study, which focused on the economic and infrastructural resilience of our local maritime industries.

St. George was one of the first municipalities in Maine to undertake work like this, and it has proven to be crucial in laying the groundwork for identifying our next steps towards creative solutions.

As of August 2025, the Resilience Committee is in the early stages of developing a joint Community Resilience Plan with South Thomaston, using a Community Action Grant funded by the Inflation Reduction Act through NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. This will be a road map to enhancing resilience to extreme weather and flooding, protecting vulnerable populations and critical infrastructure, and building energy systems that are more efficient, clean, and affordable. The final report will include an assessment of exposures and vulnerabilities as well as a list of potential strategies to address these challenges.

In July 2025, the Resilience Committee began working with Sebago Technics again to develop design alternatives for improving the resilience of Cold Storage Road and Factory Road. These two roads were identified as priorities in the 2024 Sea Level Rise Vulnerability & Resiliency Assessment, and this new project—funded by a grant from the Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund—aims to inform a solution that is effective, cost efficient, and considerate of community needs.

Both of these projects are just getting started, but there will be multiple opportunities over the next year for input and engagement. The first events will be in the fall of 2025—stay tuned for dates and more details.

Quick Links:

• St. George Sea Level Rise Vulnerability & Resiliency Assessment

• St. George Working Waterfront Vulnerability Study

• Sea Level Rise Viewer

• Tide Height Meter Viewer: Port Clyde