NH PSM 21: flood smart seacoast

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) a $250,000 cooperative agreement under the Coastal Zone Management Administration Awards (CFDA 11.419) program. The award's completion date is March 31, 2024. NH DES will use the funding to support the Flood Smart Seacoast partnership in developing a regional capacity-building strategy focused on enhancing coastal resilience, floodplain management, and hazard mitigation in New Hampshire's seacoast region.

Specifically, $70,000 of the award will be subawarded to the Rockingham Planning Commission (RPC) on a sole source basis given RPC's expertise and existing relationships with coastal communities in the region. RPC will participate in the Flood Smart Seacoast partnership and complete related trainings. RPC will also provide technical assistance to help coastal communities incorporate flood risk science into decision-making and adopt higher floodplain standards to access Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation funding for resilience projects. Additionally, RPC will design and pilot a voluntary home elevation and buyout program for highly flood-prone properties in Hampton, NH.