The City of Saco has embarked on a cooperative effort with neighboring communities to plan for the impacts of rising sea levels. Initiated jointly by the State Planning Office and the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission (SMRPC), the project is intended to develop and implement regional climate change adaptation strategies in response to rising sea levels.

A steering committee made up of representatives from Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford and Scarborough has met throughout the summer, and has now completed a draft interlocal agreement that would guide the long-term effort. Members of the steering committee and staff hope to appear at council meetings during September to explain the agreement.

Once the agreement has been accepted by the four communities, the Sea Level Adaptation Working Group (SLAWG) would commence its efforts. As stated in the draft agreement, the SLAWG would "...review the recent Coastal Hazard Resiliency Tools Project that has analyze the problem of sea level rise, and then develop an action plan that will estimate regional vulnerabilities, identify regional objectives to address such vulnerabilities, and provide recommendations for regional solutions."

Expert input will be provided to the SLAWG by the Maine Geological Survey, and the SMRPC. Topics that are anticipated to receive attention include shoreland zoning and floodplain management, infrastructure vulnerable to storm surges and flooding, federal or state beach nourishment efforts, local ordinances, and Saco's ongoing issues with Camp Ellis.

"Clearly, if one or more of the Saco Bay communities seek financing or assistance from state or federal agencies, the voice of an organized effort representing four towns and cities will be heard more loudly than requests from a single community," said Bob Hamblen, Saco's city planner and a member of the steering committee. "Our challenge is to keep this real-world and to make sure we see results."

Peter Marks, a member of the Shoreline Commission, is the other Saco member of the steering committee. The proposed interlocal agreement is scheduled to be reviewed by the City Council during its workshop meeting on September 7.