NYS Climate Smart Communities Program Relevant Certification Actions.pdf

PE7 Action: Climate Adaptation Plan 3 — 15 Points BRONZE PRIORITY SILVER PRIORITY

A. Why is this action important?

PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment and PE7 Action: Climate Adaptation Plan are the two foundational actions for adapting to climate change and building resilience in your community, akin to creating a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and climate action plan for GHG mitigation.

The goal of creating a climate adaptation plan or chapter is to address vulnerabilities uncovered in your PE7 Action:

Climate Vulnerability Assessment and planning gaps from your PE7 Action: Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience.

Climate adaptation planning outlines a vision and set of strategies to improve a community’s resilience to climate change based on its local physical, economic, and social vulnerabilities. When local leaders work with their communities to adapt to climate change, they build the capacity to evolve with changing conditions and protect resources for generations to come.

During the planning process, local governments should work with residents and local groups to establish a shared vision of a resilient future and define specific local climate adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerabilities and achieve their vision.

A climate adaptation planning process should consider diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) from start to finish.

B. How to implement this action

Under the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program, the climate adaptation planning process can be appropriately scaled for the size and vulnerability of a community. For example, a larger city with significant climate risks may choose to do a more in-depth process for a standalone plan. Alternatively, a smaller town or village with fewer vulnerabilities may opt for a more streamlined process to create a smaller plan or create a chapter in a climate action plan or other planning document.

Points for this action will reflect the scope that the adaptation plan or chapter covers:

Limited scope: covers at least one climate hazard for a limited geographic scope (like a waterfront) or one category or sector (like government operations or transportation infrastructure).

Moderate scope: covers one to three climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community.

Comprehensive scope: covers all relevant climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community.

You can find a list of climate hazards and further examples of scope in PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment.

When conducting a community climate adaptation planning, essential steps to consider include the following:

1. Analyze the demographic makeup of your community to understand what a fair representation of citizens will look like. Identify stakeholders who represent different neighborhoods, community-based organizations, and businesses, as well as a range of representatives from traditionally marginalized groups and disadvantaged communities.

Consider who has not been at the table in the past and make sure that those groups are meaningfully included.

Analyze the municipal departments and committees serving your community to determine who should be involved in this planning process (e.g., departments of public works, planning, police and fire, parks and recreation, economic development).

2. Convene a diverse and representative working group (based on your results from step 1) to coordinate the effort and perform public outreach and engagement from the beginning, scaled appropriately to the size and complexity

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3. Develop and implement a public engagement strategy for the planning process using best practices for inclusive engagement. Review the CSC Inclusive Community Engagement Primer for a 6-page introduction to concepts and practices for the meaningful inclusion of Disadvantaged Communities in your local planning activities. Plan meetings to be accessible in terms of location and transportation options, and if possible, provide food, childcare and/or compensation for members’ attendance. Solicit public input via multiple channels, including in-person (like public workshops and pop-up stands in public spaces) and virtual options (like webinars and online surveys).

4. Evaluate information on climate hazards to understand the most at-risk community assets, populations, and systems. Information on local hazards can be found in your PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment] (https://climatesmart.ny.gov/actions-certification/actions/#open/action/85), [PE7 Action: Hazard Mitigation Plan[(https://climatesmart.ny.gov/actions-certification/actions/#open/action/90), PE7 Action: Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience, and elsewhere. Consider how your hazards and risks may change over time by incorporating the most recent climate projections for your region (see resources below in Section G) and local knowledge of impacts like extreme weather events and sunny-day flooding.

5. Co-create a vision for community climate adaptation and resilience. Host public participation session(s) to have conversations about local vulnerabilities, past experiences with hazard events, important community assets and planning gaps, and develop a vision for the community. One possible means of supporting these conversations includes the use of visual aids, such as maps, depicting areas at risk and associated community assets. Community members can identify missing important community assets or hazardous areas or confirm that the existing results are accurate. A vision is a brief, inspirational statement that investigates the future and creates a mental image of the ideal state that a community wants to achieve. The vision should reflect the community’s aspirations and values as they relate to adapting to climate change and building local resilience. See examples of resilience visions below in Section G. To create the vision statements, solicit input according to your public engagement strategy. Compile public input into a draft document that describes the vision for the future and what resilience means to the community. Meaningfully share the draft vision document with the community by going beyond posting it on an inconspicuous website page or only sending it to community members already in the know. Establish a system for receiving public comments and revise the draft vision and goals based on stakeholder feedback.

6. Develop strategies to adapt to changing conditions and achieve your community’s resilience vision. These strategies are based on your community’s analysis of climate impacts, prioritized assets, and vulnerabilities, and policy gaps identified during PE7 Action: Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience. (Also see further guidance on developing climate adaptation strategies below.)

Prioritize strategies that reduce risk and provide valuable ecological and social equity co-benefits. For example, training and certifying local workers from disadvantaged backgrounds to install and maintain green infrastructure will reduce stormwater flooding while creating co-benefits of improving local cooling, ecology and economic injustice.

Share the draft adaptation strategies with the public according to your engagement strategy. Revise the strategies based on stakeholder input. Revision may include reassessing the prioritization of strategies.

Identify lead entities responsible for implementing each strategy. Consider organizing strategies by their estimated timeframes, costs, and co-benefits.

Create a timeline and process for regularly revisiting and updating the climate adaptation plan (see Step 7 below), including tracking progress made on adaptation strategies (e.g., number completed, in-process, ongoing or incomplete). A climate adaptation plan or strategy should reflect the most up-to-date climate information and community priorities.

Facilitate approval of the plan by the community’s elected officials.

7. Revisit and update your plan. Local governments should revisit and refresh their adaptation plan every ten years as well (or more frequently) and track progress on adaptation strategies. Plan updates can also be triggered with new understanding of hazards, like a major storm event or updated climate projections. Such updated climate projections could be updates to ClimAID and updates to 6 NYCRR Part 490, for example. These updates should include the latest climate science, data and projections, description of local changing conditions and major events experienced, consider any changes in policy or infrastructure since the last plan, and modify the existing strategies or add new recommendations as appropriate. Significant changes should undergo community input via surveys and other methods as described above.

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Additional guidance on developing climate adaptation strategies

In a climate adaptation plan or chapter with a comprehensive scope, strategies should cover a range of categories (e.g., municipal planning and operations, zoning and codes, public outreach and education, and capital projects, including structural and non-structural solutions) that address various at-risk sectors (e.g., critical infrastructure, emergency management, natural resources, recreation, agriculture, socially vulnerable populations).

A plan or chapter of limited scope will cover at least one climate hazard for a limited geographic area (like the waterfront) or one category or sector (like government operations or transportation infrastructure). A plan or chapter of moderate scope will cover one to three climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community.

Strategies should directly address vulnerable community assets (like those identified in PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and local planning gaps (as identified in PE7 Action: Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience). For example, if your vulnerability assessment revealed that the community’s cooling center is in the floodplain, the plan could include a strategy to floodproof, relocate, or designate a new location. As another example, if the community’s capital improvement plan does not consider drought or other climate risks, then your climate adaptation plan could include a strategy to update the capital improvement plan to incorporate such risks. For more strategy ideas, see plans from other communities, Model Local Laws for Increasing Resilience, and other links below in Section G.

Communities should especially consider including strategies to implement many of the actions in CSC Pledge Element 7, like PE7 Action: Conserve Natural Areas, PE7 Action: Green Infrastructure, PE7 Action: Culverts and Dams, PE7 Action:

Nature-based Shorelines, and PE7 Action: Strategic Relocation. Several of these strategies could be specific capital projects. Strategies could include more general actions like feasibility studies, to investigate options and/or to create a list of specific projects that will address a specific vulnerability. For example, for flooding, a watershed assessment can highlight the most strategic areas for action. Taking a watershed approach when developing strategies that address flooding, water quality and quantity, and water infrastructure will help the community understand uphill and upstream sources of flooding and assist in prioritizing actions; see PE7 Action: Watershed-based Flood Mitigation Plan and PE7 Action: Watershed Plan for Water Quality.

Strategies can specifically include recommended changes to the community’s comprehensive plan and other relevant plans (like hazard mitigation plans or local waterfront revitalization plans) to include climate adaptation. The implementation of such updates to a comprehensive plan may be eligible for points under PE6 Action: Comprehensive Plan with Sustainability Elements, which includes points for promoting adaptation to climate change.

The plan should identify lead entities responsible for implementing each strategy. To the extent possible, it could also organize strategies by their estimated timeframes, costs and co-benefits.

C. Timeframe, project costs, and resource needs

The timeframe and costs for this task depend on the level of public engagement and the staff resources available. The climate adaptation planning process can be appropriately scaled for the size and vulnerability of a community. Local governments can anticipate a timeline of approximately six months to one year or more to develop a comprehensive climate adaptation plan. Project costs include staff time and possibly consultants to support the development of the plan and support for stakeholder attendance in the form of food, transportation, childcare, and/or compensation.

D. Which local governments implement this action? Which departments within the local government are most likely to have responsibility for this action?

This action is applicable to all types of local governments and all departments. The department, office, or committee that leads local climate and sustainability efforts is most likely to be responsible for implementing this action. Or implementation may be led by the chief elected official’s office, the department of the environment or planning, or by a volunteer body, such as a conservation advisory council, a watershed group, or a subcommittee of the local CSC task force. Cultivating cross-department involvement and support is also critical since a variety of staff and local stakeholders may be involved in implementation. The climate adaptation plan could also be developed at a regional level, by the county or a regional organization. Local governments claiming credit for participation in a regional initiative will be required to demonstrate substantial involvement in that process to be eligible for points, as per these guidelines.

E. How to obtain points for this action

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Points for this action are tiered based on completion of the components described below. Both components must have occurred within ten years prior to the application date, but the two components are separate. In other words, applicants can submit a vision without having a plan in place yet.

POSSIBLE

POINTS

Create a community-developed climate adaptation and resilience vision statement 3

Create and adopt a climate adaptation plan (or chapter) with one of the following scopes:

a) Limited scope, covering at least one climate hazard for a limited geographic area or for one community asset type/system (e.g., transportation)

b) Moderate scope, covering at least one to three climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community

c) Comprehensive scope, covering all relevant climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community

F. What to submit

To be eligible for points under this action, all components of this action must have taken place within ten years from the date of application. Submit the following documentation for the point tiers:

Vision: Submit a copy or web address of the final climate adaptation and resilience vision statement and a summary of the inclusive public engagement process that was used to create the vision, including evidence of event outreach and attendance. (See guidance on inclusive public engagement processes in Section B).

Plan: Submit a copy or web address of the climate adaptation plan or chapter (of a related climate plan). Indicate the scope of the planning effort (limited, moderate or comprehensive). Submit documentation that the plan was adopted by the local government.

The plan or chapter must contain the following:

The most recent New York State climate change projections and climate hazard data, as of the date of publication of the plan.

A list of strategies to address local vulnerabilities and build adaptive capacity.

A summary of the inclusive public engagement process that was used.

If a regional entity (other than the applicant) led the planning process, submit evidence of substantial involvement in that process, as per these guidelines.

All CSC action documentation is available for public viewing after an action is approved. Action submittals should not include any information or documents that are not intended to be viewed by the public.

G. Links to additional resources or examples

Examples of community resilience visions

Beacon Sustainability and Climate Resilience Vision Visions And Principles for a Resilient Catskill : see page 32.

A Flood-Resilient Kingston: Vision for the Future : see pages 26 to 30.

Vision and Goals Statement (English, available in 5 languages), Climate Resilient San Diego

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Examples of climate adaptation plans and chapters

Resilience Roadmap: Planning for Piermont’s Future Planning for Rising Waters: Final Report of the City of Kingston Waterfront Tidal Flooding Task Force Ossining’s Waterfront on the Rise, Climate-adaptive Design Studio Vision 2020, New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, Goal 8: Increase Climate Resilience Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan – Planning for Our Future Section on Climate Change Adaptation and Appendix B, Public Comments and Responses A Stronger, More Resilient New York Climate Resilient San Diego Climate Action Adaptation Plan, Santa Monica, CA Climate Action and Resiliency Plan, Alameda, CA Resilient Los Angeles Climate Resilience & Regeneration Plan: An element of the comprehensive plan Comprehensive Master Plan, Keene, NH Multi-Hazard and Climate Adaptation Plan, Lewes, DE

Guidance for developing climate adaptation strategies

Planning Guidance

Climate Adaptation and Resilience Planning, Cornell WRI Resilience Planning Resources and Guidance, NYS DOS Resilience Principles, NYS DOS Greening in Place Guide, A framework for equitable green development Resources for Resilience, Cornell WRI NY Rising Community Reconstruction Program Preparing for Climate Change: A Guidebook for Local, Regional, and State Governments, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability Draft Local Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Plan (CCARP) Guidance and Template

Strategy development

NYS Flood Risk Management Guidance, NYS DEC Model Local Laws to Increase Resilience, NYS DOS List of Climate Adaptation Strategies, Examples from Communities the Hudson Valley ENVISION™ Rating Tool: a sustainability rating program for horizontal infrastructure projects The Sustainable SITES Initiative: SITES is rating system designed to distinguish sustainable landscapes, and measure their performance.

LEED for Neighborhood Development, USGBC International Green Construction Code FEMA Long-Term Community Resilience Exercise Resource Guide - Designing Whole Community Exercises to Prepare for the Effects of a Changing Climate

Data, mappers, and climate projections

Responding to Climate Change in New York State (ClimAID) : source of New York State climate projections New York State 6 NYCRR Part 490, Projected Sea-level Rise, NYS DEC Hudson River Flood Impact Decision Support System, Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University Disadvantaged Communities Interactive Mapper, NYSERDA Environmental Justice Mapping Tools, NY Sea Grant Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper, NY DEC

Guidance for incorporating social equity and inclusive engagement

CSC Inclusive Community Engagement Primer Inclusive Planning for Community Resilience, Cornell WRI

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PUSH Blue program, PUSH Buffalo NYS People First: How To Plan Events Everyone Can Attend, NYS DOH The Path to Environmental Justice is Local, Center for Climate Preparedness, Antioch University, Equity Toolkit, Sustainable Connecticut Antioch New England's Center for Climate Preparedness and Community Resilience: Race and the Environmental Movement Webinar Series Climate Action through Equity, Portland, OR Training and Popular Education, Racial Equity Tools Action Plan Examples, Racial Equity Tools Local Policies For Environmental Justice: A National Scan, The New School People and Place: Understanding social dimensions of resilience in the Climate-adaptive Design Studio : see the stakeholder matrix in the outreach strategy section.

Social Equity, American Planning Association

H. Recertification Requirements

The recertification requirements are the same as the initial certification requirements.

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PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment 4 Points 8 Points 16 Points BRONZE PRIORITY SILVER PRIORITY

A. Why is this action important?

TEST Climate resilience begins with understanding hazards posed by a changing climate and identifying community vulnerabilities. Climate change does not affect all assets, systems, operations, or community members equally, so performing a comprehensive assessment of local vulnerabilities and risks helps identify and prioritize actions to reduce risks to the community. In conducting a vulnerability assessment, the local government must consider current and future conditions. For example, in assessing the risk of flooding along tidal coastlines, a community should include conditions associated with projected sea level rise in 2050 and 2100. The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program recommends that local governments complete a vulnerability assessment as one of the first and most foundational steps in developing an effective strategy for adapting to climate change at the local level.

Developing a vulnerability assessment involves identifying, analyzing and prioritizing the effects of climate hazards and risks, like flooding, heat stress or short-term drought. A climate hazard is a physical event or trend that could affect a population segment or the entire community, specific areas, assets, or entire systems (for example, transportation or energy infrastructure) including the local economy and industries. A vulnerability assessment process should consider diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) from start to finish since vulnerabilities will likely lead to varying risks across the diverse populations in your community.

Local governments may elect to undertake this action as a standalone project, or as part of a larger effort, such as a PE7 Action: Climate Adaptation Plan, PE6 Action: Comprehensive Plan with Sustainability Elements, PE7 Action: Hazard Mitigation Plan, PE7 Action: Watershed Assessment, local waterfront revitalization plan, or others. Hazard Mitigation Plans should help identify relevant community climate hazards.

For communities to thoroughly plan for climate adaptation and resiliency, our program recommends completing PE7 Action: Evaluate Policies for Climate Resilience, PE7 Action: Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and PE7 Action: Climate Adaptation Plan. These three actions combined will empower a community to understand its risks, identify strengths and gaps in its existing planning, and create a plan to guide future actions and projects.

B. How to implement this action

Conduct a vulnerability assessment, using the steps outlined below (see additional resources and examples in Section G).

1. Research relevant studies of climate change projections to identify hazards that apply to your community. Review and summarize state and regional studies, including ClimAID (2011 and 2014) and the NYS 2100 Commission Report (2012), local studies (if available), and relevant national studies, as needed. Seek local knowledge on climate hazards via public meetings, surveys and other means (for example, a workshop where residents draw on a map where they have experienced flooding).

Some climate hazards for consideration include the following:

Increasing temperatures, especially in winter Increasing frequency and durations of heat waves Increasing intensity of precipitation (rain/snow/ice/hail) Rising sea levels Increasing frequency and severity of coastal flooding, storm surge, wave force and erosion Increasing frequency and severity of riverine flooding

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Increasing frequency and severity of drought Fluctuating lake levels Increasing frequency and severity of wind-related damage Decreasing annual snowfall Increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events (for example, severe thunderstorms and hurricanes)

For additional information on hazards, please refer to ClimAID and the NYS Hazard Mitigation Plan or your local hazard mitigation plan (Section G).

2. Using your identified climate hazards, assess the potential impacts to assets and systems in your community. For example, consider the following assets and systems:

a. Community infrastructure

Municipal services (fire, police, public works) Emergency response Public health (hospitals, cooling centers) Drinking water Transportation Energy and power Communication Wastewater, stormwater and sewer Waste disposal

b. Socio-economic assets and systems Food supply Local economy and jobs Cultural and educational (schools, libraries, colleges) Historic Recreation Tourism

c. Natural and working lands Parks and public land Farms and agriculture Natural assets and systems (for example wetlands, forests, grasslands, and shrub lands, and the services they provide, like water storage and treatment, wildlife habitat)

d. Any other asset or system needed by the community

3. Alternatively, another way to identify and assess the vulnerabilities of each asset or system uses three criteria:

exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. These terms are defined below. (More information can also be found in Section G)

a. Exposure refers to whether an asset or system is located in an area that is likely to experience the effects of a climate change hazard now or in the future.

b. Sensitivity refers to how an asset or system fares when exposed to a climate hazard.

c. Adaptive capacity refers to the ability of an asset or system to adjust to actual or expected climate stresses.

d. An example:

A firehouse is currently located on a small rise just outside the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

However, the access road to the firehouse is below the Base Flood Elevation and subject to inundation by the 1% (“100-year”) storm. Climate change projections indicate that by 2050 the building itself will likely be inundated by more frequent storm events (i.e., its exposure is significant). In 2050, climate change projections show the firehouse as inundated by 6 inches of water during the 1% storm (i.e., its sensitivity is significant). The firehouse is an historic brick building built on a slab with a low-lying access road. It services a community that is very developed with little available open space outside the SFHA (i.e., the adaptive capacity of the firehouse and the area around it is low).

4. Identify vulnerable populations and assess how they will be affected by current and future climate hazards. It is essential to include underrepresented and marginalized populations who may be at greater risk from climate change impacts. Groups to specifically consider include black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), immigrants, Page 2 of 6 - 24 May 2025 people who speak English as a second language, low-income residents, the elderly, people with disabilities or chronic health conditions, individuals experiencing homelessness, youth, seniors, rural and urban residents, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) residents. Consider creating an advisory group to oversee the assessment process that represents a diverse range of voices from the community. Also review the CSC Inclusive Community Engagement Primer for a 6-page introduction to concepts and practices for the meaningful inclusion of Disadvantaged Communities in your local planning activities.

5. Share a summary of climate hazards, community assets, systems and vulnerabilities with community residents and other stakeholders via public meetings, surveys, and/or other means. Conduct outreach to confirm findings and identify additional vulnerabilities. Plan public meetings to be accessible in terms of location and transportation options, and, where possible, provide food, childcare, and/or other incentives to support participation.

6. Prioritize assets and systems based on the following factors:

Their exposure and sensitivity to the effects of climate hazards and their adaptive capacity How critical they are in respect to the functioning and prosperity of the community Their ability to reduce vulnerabilities and risks in the community, and to vulnerable populations in particular

7. Develop a report of vulnerability assessment findings. This should include the climate hazards and effects considered and an analysis of the risk and vulnerability to community assets. Post the report to the municipality's website.

8. Establish a timeline for re-assessing vulnerabilities. Updates should occur at least every 10 years or when a new understanding of hazards occurs (like a major storm) or when updated state climate projections become available (see links above to ClimAID and NYS Part 490 below in Section G). Updates should include the latest climate science data and projections, a description of local changing conditions, and any major weather events experienced. As part of an update, municipalities should review the relevant climate hazards, community assets/systems, and vulnerable populations, adding new ones where applicable. The update should also involve re-evaluating the prioritization of assets/systems. Significant changes to the assessment should undergo community input via surveys and other outreach methods, as described above.

Guidance on Assessing Flood Hazards. The New York State Department of State (DOS) has developed a risk assessment tool (see Section G) for coastal and riverine communities. The tool helps communities inventory community assets and calculate relative risk scores based on several factors that impact risk, including the following:

The magnitude and likelihood of future storm events Exposure the local landscape attributes that either increase or decrease potential storm impacts Vulnerability the level of impairment that an asset would experience from a storm event

The output of this DOS tool helps communities prioritize flood and erosion risk reduction measures. The risk assessment process is recommended for communities that are considering risks from flooding and erosion, and particularly those that are developing or updating Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs (LWRP). Local governments are encouraged to contact DOS for guidance on the use of the risk assessment tool and planning assistance related to coastal and waterfront hazards.

Guidance on Assessing Heat Hazards. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) has developed a Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) to identify areas in New York State (excluding New York City, which has its own HVI) with high proportions of heat-vulnerable populations. The cumulative HVI and four vulnerability components maps can be used by local and state agencies to identify and plan mitigation strategies for heat-vulnerable areas. The four vulnerability components help communities better understand the factors that drive vulnerability in their regions. Statewide HVI data at census tract resolution is readily available for download on the DOH website and county specific HVI maps in PDF format (see links below in Section G).

The DOH has also developed County Heat and Health Profiles for all counties in New York State (except those in the New York City area). These profiles describe county temperature trends, summarize heat-related health effects, identify areas with populations at highest vulnerability to heat, and list some available adaptation resources. The County Heat and Health Profiles can help communities prepare for extreme heat and prevent heat-related illness. Counties interested in obtaining county-specific HVI data, shapefiles, and more information can contact the DOH tracking program at epht@health.ny.gov

C. Timeframe, project costs, and resource needs

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The timeframe, costs and resources needed for a vulnerability assessment depend on the size of the study area, the number of municipalities to be included, and the staff resources available to contribute to the assessment. A typical timeline for completing a vulnerability assessment is between six months to one year, depending on the scope and complexity of the municipality and its exposure to climate hazards.

D. Which local governments implement this action? Which departments within the local government are most likely to have responsibility for this action?

This action is applicable to all types of local governments and all departments. The department or staff that lead climate and sustainability efforts are most likely to be responsible for this action. These responsibilities may be led by the chief elected official’s office, the planning department, or by a volunteer body, such as the CSC task force. Cross-department involvement and support are recommended, and stakeholder involvement is crucial. The vulnerability assessment could also be developed at a regional level, by the county or a regional organization. Regional organizations or county agencies, like soil and water conservation districts, often have useful data for local assessments.

E. How to obtain points for this action

Points are earned for this action by completing a climate vulnerability assessment that engages staff and the public. The assessment must include climate change projections of future conditions and address at least one climate hazard.

POSSIBLE

POINTS

Vulnerability assessment with a limited scope, covering at least one climate hazard for a limited geographic area (e.g., a waterfront) or for one community asset/system (e.g., transportation)

Vulnerability assessment with a moderate scope, covering one to three climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community

Comprehensive vulnerability assessment, covering all relevant climate hazards for the entire geographic area of the community

Vulnerability assessments completed as part of a community’s participation in the NY Rising program or the DOS Local Waterfront Revitalization program may qualify for this action if they meet the above criteria and are completed within the last 10 years.

F. What to submit

Submit a copy of the most recent climate vulnerability assessment report, created within 10 years prior to the application date. Also submit documentation of the public outreach process (such as public meeting invitations, list of attendees and meeting minutes, surveys or other outreach means), if this is not included in the report. The report should include a summary of the assessment process and the individuals involved, climate change projections of future conditions, a description of what climate hazards were covered, what community assets/systems were assessed for impacts, and what vulnerable populations were considered.

If the vulnerability assessment was developed more than 10 years ago, local governments may update it with any new or updated data or projections and submit the updated report for credit.

All CSC action documentation is available for public viewing after an action is approved. Action submittals should not include any information or documents that are not intended to be viewed by the public.

G. Links to additional resources or examples

Examples of Community-level Vulnerability Assessments in New York State

City of Long Beach’s NY Rising Community Reconstruction Plan (PDF)

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Orange County's Vulnerability Assessment (PDF) Kingston, NY, "Planning for Rising Waters" Waterfront Flooding Task Force Final Report Local Multi-Hazard Transportation Example: Genesee-Finger Lakes Regional Critical Transportation Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment (PDF) DOH Public Health Live Webcast: Climate Smart Communities: Experiencing a Changing Climate

Data and Tools for New York State

NYSERDA Responding to Climate Change in New York State (ClimAID Report) NYS Hazard Mitigation Plan – All hazards NYS Part 490, Projected Sea-level Rise NYSDEC Floodplain Management Webpage NYS 2100 Commission Report – Post Superstorm Sandy Multi-Sector Resiliency Recommendations -Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery - New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program NYSDOS Climate Geographic Information Gateway, Climate Change & Resilience with Tools, Data and Resources for Communities (including the Risk Assessment Tool and Coastal Risk Area Maps) NYSDOS, Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Scenic Hudson, Adaptation Planning Resources including Sea Level Rise Maps -NYSDOH Heat Vulnerability Index with Maps NYSDOH County-specific Heat Vulnerability Index maps NYSDOH County Heat and Health Profile Reports NYC’s Climate and Health Profile reports can be found here NYC Heat vulnerability information Coastal Risk Areas, NYS DOS Disadvantaged Communities Mapper, NYSERDA Climate Safe Neighborhoods, Groundwork HV Environmental Justice Mapping Tools, NYS Sea Grant Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper Hudson Dynamic Shorelines, NYS Sea Grant Draft Local Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Plan (CCARP) Guidance and Template

Regional and National Toolkits

US Climate Resilience Toolkit Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) - helps with assessing local exposure to climate-related hazards.

US EPA (current) Regional Resilience Toolkit - includes step-by-step guidance US EPA Adapting to Climate Change 2017 Webpage - includes links to key Federal resources such as the US Climate Resilience Toolkit and the National Climate Assessments Vulnerability Assessment Guide: ICLEI, Preparing for Climate Change-A Guidebook for Local, Regional and State Governments TEMPERATE tool: ICLEI - “Registered TEMPERATE users have access to ICLEI’s adaptation experts who can help you create a climate vulnerability assessment or adaptation planning effort that meets your community’s unique needs.”

Federal Training Resources

US EPA Local Government Climate Adaptation Training FEMA Long-Term Community Resilience Exercise Resource Guide - Designing Whole Community Exercises to Prepare for the Effects of a Changing Climate FEMA National Risk Index - online tool for identifying risks related to natural hazards by county or census track

National Resources on Environmental Justice

US EPA Adaptation Tools for Public Officials US Centers of Disease Control (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index Maps

Page 5 of 6 - 24 May 2025 https://www.orangecountygov.com/DocumentCenter/View/13649/Effects-of-Climate-Change-in-Orange-County-NY--NRI-Vulnerability-and-Adaptation-Strategies-July-2019-PDF https://www.kingston-ny.gov/waterfrontfloodingtaskforce https://www.gtcmpo.org/sites/default/files/pdf/2016/5750_-_final_report.pdf https://vimeo.com/showcase/5725728/video/332294190 https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Publications/Research and Development Technical Reports/Environmental Research and Development Technical Reports/Response to Climate Change in New York https://mitigateny.availabs.org/ https://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/103877.html http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/24267.html https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/archive/assets/documents/NYS2100.pdf https://stormrecovery.ny.gov/community-reconstruction-program http://opdgig.dos.ny.gov/#/focus/resilience https://www.dos.ny.gov/opd/programs/lwrp.html https://www.scenichudson.org/our-work/climate https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/weather/vulnerability_index/index.htm https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/weather/vulnerability_index/county_maps.htm https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/weather/profiles/ https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/environmental/climate-health-profile-report.pdf http://a816-dohbesp.nyc.gov/IndicatorPublic/VisualizationData.aspx?id=2191,4466a0,100,Summarize https://dos.ny.gov/assess https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/ny/disadvantaged-communities https://gwmke.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=f8599f433a1f413bba3fefd53a03d0eb https://seagrant.sunysb.edu/articles/t/resources-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei-resources https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/112137.html https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/804750dafc1a4ef9a4a230134303e9cb https://dec.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/localccadaptresilienceplantemplate.pdf https://toolkit.climate.gov/steps-to-resilience/assess-vulnerability-risks https://resilience.climate.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/regional-resilience-toolkit https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climatechange/adapting-climate-change_.html https://cig.uw.edu/publications/preparing-for-climate-change-a-guidebook-for-local-regional-and-state-governments/ https://icleiusa.org/temperate-adaptation-planner/ https://www.epa.gov/arc-x/local-government-climate-adaptation-training https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/documents/1269813/0/LTCR+ERG+FINAL_20211102.pdf https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/products-tools/national-risk-index https://www.epa.gov/community-revitalization https://svi.cdc.gov/map.html

Community Resilience Estimates, US Census Bureau Neighborhoods at Risk, Headwater Economics

Federal Transportation Resources

Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) – Resilience Pilot Studies

Federal Resources for Water Utilities

US EPA Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool

National Resources on Sea-level Rise

Climate Central - Surging Seas: Sea-level Rise Risk Analysis

National Resources on Drought

US Drought Portal (NIDIS), includes data, maps and tools Northeast Drought Portal (NIDIS and Northeast Regional Climate Center)

National Resources on Habitats and Ecosystems

Climate Change Vulnerability Index: NatureServe Ecosystem-Based Management Tools Network, Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Tools

H. Recertification Requirements

Generally, the recertification requirements are the same as the initial certification requirements. As described above in Section B, Step 7 (Establish a timeline for re-assessing vulnerabilities), local governments should revisit their vulnerability assessment at least every 10 years or when other relevant circumstances change. An update to an existing vulnerability assessment may be eligible for points under this action as part of recertification, provided the update includes, for example, up-to-date climate change projections and an evaluation of how those projections may impact assets, systems, and vulnerable populations in the community.

Page 6 of 6 - 24 May 2025 https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/community-resilience-estimates.html https://headwaterseconomics.org/apps/neighborhoods-at-risk/ https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/sustainability/resilience/pilots/ https://www.epa.gov/crwu/creat-risk-assessment-application-water-utilities https://sealevel.climatecentral.org/ https://www.drought.gov/drought/ http://nedews.nrcc.cornell.edu/ https://www.natureserve.org/conservation-tools/climate-change-vulnerability-index-ecosystems-and-habitats