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Water�Planning

Group

Meeting 2

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Introductions

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Today’s Agenda

Review What to Expect & Meeting Roadmap

Preview Action Development Next Steps

Finalize “Action Buckets” for Action Planning

Screening & Refining IdeaBoardz Exercise

Targeted Outreach: Roles

Vision 2032 Survey Update

Action Items

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Vision 2032 10-Year Planning

Vision 2032 is a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP),

a 10-year plan required of National Estuary Programs

Why are we creating this plan?

Provide a coordinated, holistic plan that continues to build on 30 years of collaborative progress
Inform delivery of funding and services over the plan’s lifetime
Be more intentional about the “people” part - impacts on communities, inclusion, and capacity for change

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WE ARE HERE!

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Each Action Plan Will Include:

Realistic Tasks
Committed Lead & Collaborators
Clear Schedule 🡪 Completion in 10 Years
Projected Results (Outputs, Outcomes)
Trackable Metrics

30-50 Action Plans

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Meeting Roadmap

All planning meetings are voluntary – come as able.

WE ARE

HERE!

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Meeting 1 Input

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Meeting 1 Input 🡪 “Action Buckets”

Input collected: priority issues (pressing problems/needs for the next decade of work)

1 action

3 actions

2 actions

1 action

2 actions

tasks

Action

Buckets

Purpose: Finalize a set of action buckets that we will use as an interim step to guide development of a preliminary list of actions.

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NBEP’s Existing Plan Review

Google Sheet - comprehensive reference lists of actions/tasks

Filter by Planning Group

Filter by Action Bucket

NBEP has been mining a list of possible actions and/or tasks from existing plans and from Meeting 1 brainstorming—consider this list to be “good, relevant, interesting ideas” to draw inspiration from. Each action or task will be tagged by Planning Group and by Buckets (sometimes more than one). In our next meeting, we will start to put Actions into Buckets. We will use this list to filter by bucket, and draw inspiration for the preliminary actions in each bucket, and from there we’ll begin a process to refine and make our own.

This is an evolving Google Sheet in the Google Drive public folders. We are actively working on it, and are making it public so you can add your own specific action or task ideas between this meeting and next.

Don’t worry too much about the level of specificity.
You can add general ideas that are not yet attached to an organization.
Or you can add specific work that your organization would like to include in Vision 2032.
Don’t worry about tags! NBEP will add those. Just add to the Action/Task column.

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Activity: Finalize Action Buckets

Review Action Buckets
Indicate top 5 (Zoom annotation – star)

Which buckets do you think are most important for Vision 2032?

Open for comments:

Any buckets missing?
Add? Combine? Change? Remove? (WHY?)
Any keywords missing?
Other comments.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zh7kNxfgUg5FaZslzl5z8OuYfJjGLjDEbiZwCEcAPN4/edit?usp=sharing

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Break

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Action Development

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Action Planning Worksheets

Sketch Proposal

Prelim. Impact Assessment

Refinement Through Lenses

Targeted work to maximize impact through lenses

Interest Group Impact, Geographic Impact, Impact Metrics

Initial information gathering

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Action Development

The Parking Lot is a place to table some actions while developing others.

Actions can be moved in and out of the Parking Lot.

The Parking Lot will always be available for review.

Actions in

Parking Lot

Actions in Development

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Two Levels of Screening Criteria

We’ll use screening criteria to table ideas in the Parking Lot while we focus on developing those which are most compelling and pertinent to Vision 2032.

Base Screening

EPA goals & NEP/NBEP mission
Fits in an “Action Bucket”
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound (SMART)

Screening Via Critical Lenses

Diversity, equity, inclusion and justice
Climate resilience
Sustainable resource use

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Base Screening Criteria - Brainstorm & Screen Phase

Ratings become more stringent as we refine Action Plans.

The action…	Lowest Allowable Rating*
…is novel (not already complete).	No Yes
…advances Clean Water Act goals.	No Maybe Yes
…advances NEP and NBEP mission.	No Maybe Yes
…improves conditions tracked in NBEP’s State of Our Watershed Report OR fits in an “action bucket” ID’ed by the Planning Groups.	No Maybe Yes
…can be completed in 10 years.	Possibly Probably Definitely
…achieves specific, measurable, and trackable results.	Possibly Probably Definitely
…has an entity who is formally committed to leading and who has identified funding sources.	Possibly Probably Definitely

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Base Screening Criteria - Final Action Plans

Ratings become more stringent as we refine Action Plans.

The action…	Lowest Allowable Rating*
…is novel (not already complete).	No Yes
…advances Clean Water Act goals.	No Maybe Yes
…advances NEP and NBEP missions.	No Maybe Yes
…improves conditions tracked in NBEP’s State of Our Watershed Report OR addresses a priority issue ID’ed by Planning Groups.	No Maybe Yes
…can be completed in 10 years.	Possibly Probably Definitely
…achieves specific, measurable, and trackable results.	Possibly Probably Definitely
…has an entity who is formally committed to leading and who has identified likely funding sources.	Possibly Probably Definitely

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EPA Goals & NEP/NBEP Mission

EPA & Clean Water Act: Prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution in the nation's water in order to "restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters.“ Ensure drinking water is safe, and restore and maintain oceans, watersheds, and their aquatic ecosystems to protect human health, support economic and recreational activities, and provide healthy habitat for fish, plants, and wildlife.

NEP mission: Protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance.

NBEP mission: Clean water and habitat to sustain all who live, work, and play in the Narragansett Bay Region. We catalyze scientific inquiry and collective action to restore and protect our water quality, wildlife, and quality of life.

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Critical Lens Criteria - Brainstorm & Screen

Ratings become more stringent as we refine Action Plans.

The action HAS BEEN ASSESSED and….	Lowest Allowable Rating*
…will be beneficial considering climate change projections.	Possibly Probably Definitely
…increases environmental and social benefits and/or reduces burdens/ vulnerability relative to the expected consequences of climate change.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…where possible, maximizes diversity, equity, inclusion, or justice around this issue.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…where possible, reduces burdens to those most impacted.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…has involved interest groups in its development OR a process for including them is built into the action.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…where possible, supports the long-term provision of beneficial uses, cultural practices, or environmental services.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…is self-sustaining OR maintenance is accounted for.	Minimally Moderately Strongly

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Critical Lens Criteria - Final Action Plans

The action HAS BEEN ASSESSED and….	Lowest Allowable Rating*
…will be beneficial considering climate change projections.	Possibly Probably Definitely
…increases environmental and social benefits and/or reduces burdens/ vulnerability relative to the expected consequences of climate change.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…where possible, maximizes diversity, equity, inclusion, or justice around this issue.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…where possible, reduces burdens to those most impacted.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…has involved interest groups in its development OR a process for including them is built into the action.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…where possible, supports the long-term provision of beneficial uses, cultural practices, or environmental services.	Minimally Moderately Strongly
…is self-sustaining OR maintenance is accounted for.	Minimally Moderately Strongly

Ratings become more stringent as we refine Action Plans.

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Goal: Elicit your input on HOW to write Action Plans that scale up impacts and maximize benefits through our lenses.

Exercise: Using sample Actions and the prompts, help us detail substantive and realistic TASKS that could be written in to maximize impact through our lenses

“Working Backwards” – IdeaBoardz Exercise

Climate Resilience · Environmental Justice & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion · Sustainable Resource Use

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“Working Backwards” – IdeaBoardz Exercise

Exercise: Dream up TASKS for each sample ACTION that will help meet the prompts.

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“Working Backwards” – IdeaBoardz Exercise

Start your entries with the Prompt # and “TASK:”
Be sure to frame your entry as a specific Task – focus on the HOW

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https://ideaboardz.com/for/WATER%20Mtg%202%20-%20Maximizing%20Impact/3983308

IdeaBoardz Exercise: Prompts

(1) CLIMATE RESILIENCE: What TASKS could be added to increase environmental and social benefits and/or reduce burdens/vulnerability relative to the expected consequences of climate change?

(2) EQUITY: What TASKS could be added to maximize diversity, equity, inclusion, or justice around this issue; reduce burdens to those most impacted; and/or ensure equitable benefits?

(3) SUSTAINABILITY: What TASKS could be added to support long-term resource use, cultural practices, environmental services, and beneficial human-environment relationships?

(4) LONG-TERM SUCCESS: What TASKS could be added to ensure it is self-sustaining OR maintenance/replicability is accounted to ensure long-term benefits?

(5) SCALABILITY: What TASKS could be added to help scale the action up regionally?

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Discussion: Expanding Outreach & Engagement

Goals for Engagement in the Planning Group Process:

NOW: “Regulars” who participate in most sessions to help us achieve saturation on input that steers group planning efforts
FALL: “Guest Stars” who provide input on a specific action plan or plans during stages of development

What are realistic engagement activities group members would be interested/able to assist with? (e.g., extending invitations, one-on-ones, taking the lead on action plan development and associated outreach, etc.)

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Vision 2032 Survey Update

1 month

99 responses

35 towns

Abington

Avon

Barrington

Berkley

Bristol

Brockton

Charlestown

Cranston

Cumberland

East Greenwich

East Providence

Freetown

Glocester

Grafton

Hopedale

Hopkinton

Narragansett

Newport

North Kingstown

North Providence

Pawtucket

Portsmouth

Providence

Richmond

Scituate

South Kingstown

Stonington

Sutton

Warren

Warwick

West Greenwich

West Warwick

Westerly

Westport

Woonsocket

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What do you like best about the outdoor environment in your city/town?

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What do you like best about the outdoor environment in your city/town?

“Some great parks, growing bike infrastructure.”

“Free access to shoreline.”

“Street trees to beautify and cool my block.”

“Efforts to preserve and provide recreation.”

“Use of open space to convene people in ways that build sense of community/shared experience.”

“The outdoor environment has improved greatly over the years.”

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What do you think are the biggest problems for the outdoor environment in your city/town?

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What do you think are the biggest problems for the outdoor environment in your city/town?

“Developers not held to higher standards for the environment and the community.”

“Congestion/traffic. Lack of sidewalks, lack of a true Downtown.”

“Garbage. So much litter. Everywhere.”

“Lack of access to the water.”

“Disparate access. Poor neighborhoods/BIPOC communities have less access and fewer trees.”

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Vision 2032 Survey

We need your help!

Take the survey.
Share the survey with 2-3 personal contacts.

Please consider: youth, folks outside science/env. field, older gen, folks who might circulate to their own unique networks, English and Spanish speakers

Circulate it on social media.
Post it on your organization’s website/newsletter.

https://vision2032.org/get-involved/

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Coming Next

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Action Items

Please extend personal invitations or one-on-one meetings to potential “Regulars” and “Guest Stars”
Please continue to share the survey
Optional: Add action ideas to the Google Sheet before the next meeting.
Next meeting: Week of Sept. 6

Action Items