W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 F E B R UA R Y 5 , 2 0 2 4
C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T
"is winter has highlighted the challenges of
climate change, especially for those of us living or
working near rivers or the ocean," says Keith Luke,
the city's economic director. "Riverfront communi-
ties are part of the fabric of American life."
As for future input from the private sector, Luke
says, "It's not easy to find developers who can self-
finance projects in the floodplain, but increasingly,
that is what we need to do."
About 30 miles away in Auburn, the city has
acquired lands along the Androscoggin River — where
December's storm triggered catastrophic flooding
— for open space and trails to provide a buffer and
is working with FEMA on updating flood maps to
reflect changing storm patterns.
"is has not been done since the '70s in such a
comprehensive way and will take into account new
statistics on recent rainfall and flooding events,"
says Eric Cousens, the city's director of planning
and permitting.
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»
The issue of sea
level rise is not purely
academic for us.
— Cameron Wake
University of New England
P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY
Climate change expert Cameron Wake is
director of the Center for North Atlantic
Studies at the University of New England.
F O C U S
