NEW Mandatory Education For Planning Boards/Commissions:

In 2017, a new provision (see Public Law Chapter 403) was added to RIGL §45-22-7. of the Rhode Island General Laws. This portion of State Law describes the powers and duties of a planning board or commission. The new provision (j) requires that each member of a planning board or commission must participate in training and education classes concerning the effects of development in a flood plain and the effects of sea-level rise once every two years. Each member must complete two hours of training by September 30, 2019 and file with the municipal clerk a statement asserting that the training has been completed. A sample “Statement of Completion” is included in a Planning Guidance: New Mandatory Education for Planning Boards/Commissions from the Division of Statewide Planning.

In order to meet this requirement, planning board/commission members can watch six educational modules regarding making informed choices for supporting resilience to the impacts from climate change. Access all six training modules called PREP-RI. In addition, members are strongly encouraged to review or watch the additional resources listed below to round out the 2-hour training requirement.

PRIMARY RESOURCE
PREP-RI Municipal Resilience Modules

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Rhode Island’s Changing Climate – Building Resilience Through Local Solutions (VIDEO)
Explore RI’s Floodplain Mapping Tool
RI Coastal Property Guide
STORMTOOLS for Homeowners/Beginners

Tree Equity Score
Find your score and help create Tree Equity in cities and towns across America.

RI Municipal Resilience Modules:
PREP-RI: Providing Resilience Education for Planning in Rhode Island

General Climate Adaptation Resources:
Climate Adaptation: The State of Practice in U.S. Communities

Flood Mitigation Resources:
Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards
Flood Protection Pay-Offs A Local Government Guide to the Community Rating System
A Guide to Flood-Resistant Building Terms

Green Infrastructure Resources:
Green Infrastructure Toolkit
Green Works for Climate Resilience

Community Planning Resources:
Adaptation to Natural Hazards and Climate Change in North Kingstown, RI
APA Policy Guide on Planning & Climate Change
Guidance Handbook No. 12 – Planning for Natural Hazards and Climate Change
Interactive Online Map : Rhode Island Sea Level Rise: Impacts on Transportation Assets
Technical Paper 168: Socioeconomics of Sea Level Rise
Technical Paper 167: Vulnerability of Municipal Transportation Assets to Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge
Technical Paper 164: Vulnerability of Transportation Assets to Sea Level Rise

Wastewater Infrastructure:
Implications of Climate Change for RI Wastewater Collection & Treatment Infrastructure