Eastern Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio

Beaufort, NC

Eastern Carolina

The Eastern Carolina Council of Governments region includes Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Wayne counties.

The Eastern Carolina Council of Governments worked with NCORR’s RISE Program to develop a portfolio of priority projects that strengthen regional resilience. This multi-phase effort included a forward-looking vulnerability assessment, the identification of five to 10 high-priority projects and a list of the actions needed to implement each proposed project. A diverse stakeholder partnership guided the project to ensure that the scope of work reflected local priorities. The Eastern Carolina COG offered project guidance, the NC Rural Center hired a local leader to provide facilitation support and Tetra Tech povided technical assistance.

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The Duke Energy Foundation awarded Accelerator Grant Program funding to support the following resilience project identified in the Eastern Carolina region's Resilience Project Portfolio:

Beneficial Reuse of Acquired Properties – Goldsboro, NC
  • Applicant: Community Technical Assistance, Inc.  
  • Amount: $65,000
  • Project Summary: Through an agreement with the City of Goldsboro, Community Technical Assistance, Inc. will reuse several land parcels purchased through the FEMA hazard mitigation acquisition process for student education and leadership training. The land parcels will serve as outdoor classrooms where students will explore, create and rethink how the space should be used. The program is designed to motivate youth to become 21st century leaders in their communities. The organization will work with students in the Global Scholars Program and Wayne County Public Schools to create small gardens, investigate what natural environmental systems have established on the land and upgrade some traffic control gates—all while strengthening participants’ advanced critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills.

Review the Climate Resilience Portfolio

The Regional Resilience Project Portfolio for the Eastern Carolina Region identifies priority projects and strategies that reduce the risks associated with extreme weather events and enhance regional resilience. The portfolio aims to produce shovel-ready actions with detailed implementation steps, including estimated costs, potential implementing partners, likely project completion challenges and more.

Review the Vulnerability Assessment

The Climate Change and Natural Hazards Vulnerability Assessment for the Eastern Carolina Region is a report describing past problems and future risks associated with extreme weather events such as hurricanes, flooding, extreme temperatures, droughts and wildfires. The report outlines the impacts of these climate hazards on housing, the environment and the economy.

Public Workshop #2: Eastern Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio Project

Oct. 18, 2022: 6:30–8 p.m.  |  Oct. 19, 2022: 9:30–11 a.m.

Workshop attendees had a chance to learn more about the Eastern Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio Project and give feedback on potential regional projects and strategies to build future community resilience in Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Wayne counties. Five to 10 prioritized strategies or projects will be included in the final portfolio, which will identify specific ways to help communities prepare for and recover from natural disasters and climate hazards.

Public Workshop #1: Understanding Vulnerability from the Local Perspective

April 12, 2022: 10–11 a.m. and 6–7 p.m.  |  April 23, 2022: 10–11 a.m.

During this workshop, community stakeholders learned about the Eastern Carolina Regional Resilience Portfolio Project and provided feedback on regional response and recovery strengths and weaknesses. Participants also had a chance to share personal experiences with disaster preparedness and recovery, and engage in small group discussions about climate hazards.

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For more information about the state's RISE initiative in the Eastern Carolina COG region, contact NCORR Resilient Communities Program Manager Brian Byfield.

Project Overview

Step 1. Vulnerability Assessment

The first phase of the project wass the development of a vulnerability assessment. This analysis brings together science and local knowledge to paint a picture of hazards in the region and how they may change in the future.

Step 2. Propose and Prioritize Projects

The second phase of the project was the development of a portfolio of several projects that have regional benefits for resilience. Proposed projects could include construction projects, nature-based solutions, outreach and capacity-building activities, or planning and policy developments. The regional benefit could come in many forms, such as reducing downstream flooding, offering a resource to multiple local governments, or crafting a pilot project with replicability in other places.

A critical component of developing the portfolio was finding achievable paths to implementation, including funding sources and capacity considerations. The region had the opportunity to select a project for seed funding from the Duke Energy Resilience Accelerator Grant Program.

Resource Documents

The RISE effort builds on analysis and planning conducted over the last several years. These resources include:

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