Ashley Krulik, Sustainability Associate with Troy Moon, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Portland.
The city of Portland announced today its choice for a consultant to develop a Climate Change Plan – Linean Solutions of Cambridge, Massachusetts – in conjunction with the City of South Portland.
The two cities joined forces for this 18 month contract because they share the same shoreline of Portland Harbor and the leaders and residents are committed to mitigating the worst impacts of climate change while developing strategies to prepare for those that will inevitably affect us according to the comprehensive and extensive Request for Proposal (“RFP”) issued by the Purchasing Department at City Hall, Portland.
One of the eight specific goals is to “prepare both cities to deal with “rising sea levels, more frequent significant rain events, more powerful coastal storms and more frequent days with heat over 90 degrees of Fahrenheit.” An emphasis throughout the twenty-five (25) page RFP is to engage with the public extensively in a manner too detailed to elaborate herewith. However, the RFP does call for “two (2) community forums in each city and one (1) joint forum in an exclusive and productive way so that all participants are heard and the stated objective of the meeting are achieved.” Still focusing on rising sea levels, Linnean Solutions is to “identify a sea level rise scenario based on the latest scientific projections and develop a recommended planning process for each city.” The scope of the Plan is broader including, but not limited to “a low carbon society.”
The Portland City Council has set a city-wide goal of 80% renewable energy by 2050 and this joint climate action plan is intended to address that goal. Initially, there were six responses to the RFP. A special selection committee whittled it down to three. They were Arup of Boston and Ramboll Environ of Portland. Then finally to the finalist names above, according to James Lobley, Executive Administrative Assistant, in the Purchasing Department.
Incidentally, the public is invited to attend a program on Portland’s Sustainability, hosted by Troy Moon, Portland’s Sustainability Coordinator, on Wednesday, November 28, 2018 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm at the Rines Auditorium at the Portland Public Library in downtown Portland. It is free. For more information, please call 871-1700, ext. 729. (See above left photo of Troy Moon).