natural resources and climate resiliency in germantown...identify natural areas early in the...
TRANSCRIPT
Ingrid Haeckel, Andrew Meyer, and Elizabeth Murphy
NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University
Presentation to the Town of Germantown, December 7, 2013
Natural Resources and Climate Resiliency in Germantown
The Hudson River Estuary
Program
• Ensure clean water;
• Protect and restore fish and wildlife habitats;
• Provide recreation in and on the water;
• Adapt to climate change; and
• Conserve the scenic landscape.
Germantown
Entire watershed
~ 13,500 sq. mi.
Hudson River Watershed
Outline
Role of local governments
The Natural Resource Summaries
Future Climate Conditions
How you can use the Summaries
Where to go for more information
Discussion
___________________________________________
Local government has a critical role in managing water and wildlife
___________________________________________
• Comprehensive plan• Open space plan• Zoning• SEQRA • Project review•Town ordinances• Natural resource inventory• Critical environmental areas• Stormwater regulations•Climate Smart Community Pledge, Certification
How local governments manage water and wildlife
Mouth of the RoeJan kayaktrippics.us
Healthy, natural systems provide benefits to our communities:
“ecosystem services”
water quality and quantity
flood control
clean air
carbon storage
recreation
scenery
forest products
fisheries
Resilience
A small town in upstate New York
Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc
Buildout under current zoning
Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc
Many impacts on water and wildlife
Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc
Changes the way water moves across the landscape
More roads, roofs, and driveways mean more runoff
Loss of streamside vegetation
More stream crossings, barriers to fish, flooding risk
More road salt degrades water quality
Less wildlife habitat, more fragmentation
Limit animal migrations
More negative wildlife-human interactions
More pressure on groundwater, impact from septics
Changes habitat – promotes “weedy” species
Reduce hunting and recreation opportunities
Working
Landscapes
Cultural &
Historic
Resources
Identify important resources
Trails and
Greenways
Forests and
natural area
connections
Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc
Wetlands
& stream
corridors
Rivers and
Streams
A buildout that reduces pressure
Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc
A buildout that reduces pressure
Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc
Note: this is an idealized
cartoon. By working toward this
ideal, you can reduce pressure.
Outline
Role of local governments
The Natural Resource Summaries
Future Climate Conditions
How you can use the Summaries
Where to go for more information
Discussion
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Summarizes existing information gleaned
from (mostly) state data
• Descriptions• Tables• Maps• General conservation principles• References
What is a Natural Resource Summary?
Local data from Farmscape
Ecology at Hawthorne Valley
Farm
Please Note!
• Primarily for planning purposes
• Maps have limitations (e.g., scale)
• Raise questions for project review
• Will not tell you if a permit from NYSDEC
is needed
___________________________________________
• Regional Context• Major Ecological Features• Coastal and Shoreline Habitat• Streams and Watersheds• Large Forests (200+ acres)• Wetlands• Grasslands (text only)• Young Forests (text only)
What is in a Habitat Summary?
___________________________________________What is in a Habitat Summary?
Tables and Links
• Land Cover• Aquifers• Floodplains and Riparian Buffers• Waterbody Classification,
Assessments, andImpairment
• Stormwater Management• SPDES Permits and Wastewater• Aquatic Barriers
___________________________________________What is in a Water Resources Summary?
___________________________________________What is in a Water Resources Summary?
• Background information• Germantown
• Details • Tables • Maps
• References and Resources
___________________________________________What is in a Water Resources Summary?
• Background information• Germantown
• Details • Tables • Maps
• References and Resources
http://www.scenichudson.org/slr/mapper
• Introduction to climate resilience
• Climate hazards in NYS
• Projections for Germantown
• Climate risks and opportunities
• How to get involved
_______________________________________What is in a Climate Summary?
Outline
Role of local governments
The Natural Resource Summaries
Future Climate Conditions
How you can use the Summaries
Where to go for more information
Discussion
___________________________________________
Plan for future, not the past
Hazards
• Increasing temperatures
• Rising sea level
• Changing precipitation patterns
Climate hazards and risks that could
impact Germantown___________________________________________
Risks
Heat waves
Flooding
Short term drought
Hazard #1: Increasing temperatures
Since 1970:
• Global annual average temperature up 1°F
• US annual average temperature up 1.8°F
• New York annual average temperature up 2°F
• New York winter average temperature up 5°F
Projections: Increasing temperatures
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Hazard #2: Changing precipitation
patterns
• More variability and volatility
• 74% Increase in heavy downpours
between 1950-1979 and 1980-2009
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Hazard #3: Sea level rise
Historic: 15” in NY Harbor in the past 150 years
Climate risks: how hazards affect our
communities
Heat waves
Short-term drought
Flooding
Opportunity: become climate resilient
Outline
Role of local governments
The Natural Resource Summaries
Future Climate Conditions
How you can use the Summaries
Where to go for more information
Discussion
___________________________________________
Area of
concern
What is the
watershed
context?
Species and habitats of
concern?
comely shiner
shad
Large
forests that
could
remain
connected?
Wetlands
present?
Local water
quality?
Compatible
with protection
of our
groundwater?
More detailed
information?
Sea Level Rise Mapper
http://www.scenichudson.org/slr/mapper
Future shoreline
and floodplains?
Important habitats?
tidal wetlands and forest connection
What did we learn?___________________________________________
Important habitats?
tidal wetlands and forest connection
Good quality streams? RoeJan, tribs and mouth
maintain its quality
What did we learn?___________________________________________
Important habitats?
tidal wetlands and forest connection
Good quality streams? RoeJan, tribs and mouth, maintain its quality
What did we learn?___________________________________________
Aquifer concerns?
compatible land uses, NY Rural Water Association
Important habitats?
tidal wetlands and forest connection
Sea level rise impacts?
plan for a 6 foot rise along the Hudson
Aquifer concerns?
compatible land uses, NY Rural Water Association
Good quality streams? RoeJan, tribs and mouth maintain its quality
What did we learn?___________________________________________
___________________________________________
• Comprehensive Plan• Open Space Plan• Zoning• Town ordinances• Natural Resource Inventory• SEQRA
• Environmental Assessment Forms• Critical Environmental Areas
• Conservation Advisory Councils• Project review• Use future climate conditions for town planning
How can a town use the Summaries?
SEQRA Environmental Assessment Forms
http://www.dec.ny.gov/eafmapper/
Online Workbook
Critical Environmental Areas
A specific geographic area designated by a state or local agency because it has exceptional or unique environmental or cultural characteristics valued by the community.
Hogback Hill CEA, Hyde Park
In Rosendale, the Conservation Advisory Council prepared a Natural Resource Inventory
In Rhinebeck, the Conservation Advisory Council helps the Planning Board
Recommended Conservation Guidelines
Identify natural areas early in the planning process.
Avoid and minimize disturbance to natural areas.
Preserve links between natural areas with broad connections.
Direct development toward altered or least sensitive areas.
Preserve farmland potential and working forests.
From Hudsonia, Biodiversity Assessment Manual
Outline
Role of local governments
The Natural Resource Summaries
Future Climate Conditions
How you can use the Summaries
Where to go for more information
Discussion
___________________________________________
___________________________________________Where can I get more information?
• Printed versions• CDs• Town website
___________________________________________Where can I get more information?
Tables and Links
___________________________________________Where can I get more information?
116 CSC
Communities
in NYS
Become a Climate Smart Community
___________________________________________Where can I get more information?
Climate Smart Communities: Examples of
Certification Actions
• Create an internal “green team”
• Incentivize employee alternative commute
• Establish a residential energy efficiency financing program
• Conduct a climate vulnerability assessment
• Promote residential flood prevention strategies
___________________________________________Where can I get more information?
Climate resiliency: next steps
• Become a Climate Smart Community
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/53013.html
• Sign up for our Climate Resiliency in the
Hudson River Estuary Newsletter
http://goo.gl/GYvVs2
___________________________________________Where can I get more information?
Ingrid Haeckel
Conservation & Land Use Specialist [email protected]
Andrew Meyer
Shoreline Conservation Specialist [email protected]
Libby Murphy
Climate Specialist [email protected]
Helping people enjoy, protect, and revitalize the
Hudson River Estuary and its Valley
Questions?
___________________________________________Interesting FEP Finds in Germantown
field milkwort
Lasius murphyii
mocha emerald
Kyle Bradford
Conrad Vispo
Conrad Vispo
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
&
Biodiversity Conservation
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 1
13a. Does any portion of the site of the proposed
action, or lands adjoining the proposed action,
contain wetlands or other waterbodies regulated
by a federal, state or local agency?
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 1
13b. Would the proposed action physically alter, or
encroach into, any existing wetland or waterbody?
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 1
15. Does the site of the proposed action
contain any species of animal, or associated
habitats, listed
by the State or Federal government as
threatened or endangered?
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 1
17. Will the proposed action create storm
water discharge, either from point or non-
point sources?
a. Will storm water discharges flow to
adjacent properties?
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 2
4. Will the proposed action have an impact
on the environmental characteristics that
caused the establishment of a Critical
Environmental Area (CEA)?
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 2
9. Will the proposed action result in an
adverse change to natural resources (e.g.,
wetlands, waterbodies, groundwater, air
quality, flora and fauna)?
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 2
10. Will the proposed action result in an
increase in the potential for erosion,
flooding, or drainage problems?
SEQR(State Environmental Quality Review)
Short Environmental Assessment Form
Part 2
11. Will the proposed action create a hazard
to environmental resources or human
health?