PROVINCETOWN – A climate change committee could be in the works in Provincetown.
The Select Board is considering the idea after member Lise King suggested it, saying the committee could be fashioned after Truro’s Climate Action Committee that was formed last spring.
“My understanding from an informal survey of town’s people is that there would be folks who would be interested in this committee and would be willing to step forward and would like to see it move quickly,” said King.
A report from The Center for Climate Integrity published last year estimated that Barnstable County would have the third-highest price tag of coastal communities nationwide for protecting public infrastructure from sea level rise over the next 20 years at $7 billion.
“At some point we are going to be in a bit of a tangle where we are going to need a lot more infrastructure development to prepare for climate change in all different areas of municipal works,” said King.
If approved, the committee would fight to combat sea level rise while also integrating the town’s past climate change studies.
The board voted to have town staff look at the composition and influence of the committee. Members of other boards and committees that deal with climate change issues would likely make up the new committee.
Assistant Town Manager David Gardner suggested that representatives from the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Center for Coastal Studies make up the proposed committee.
“Are thought was it would be good if we could get ex officio members from the [Cape Cod National] Seashore and [Center for] Coastal Studies,” said Gardner.
“Having them at the table, I think in some respects, could certainly be helpful for that conversation.”
The board also wanted the new committee to interact with other neighboring Outer Cape towns, with board member Louise Venden saying that the ocean does not know there are town boundaries.
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