On April 25, 2026, Block Island Residents Association and the Town’s Coastal Resilience Committee (CRC) will co-host a presentation and Q&A featuring Nantucket Coastal Resilience Coordinator, Leah Hill. Block Island and Nantucket face many of the same resiliency challenges, including sea level rise, coastal erosion, and the need for community-driven adaptation strategies; Nantucket, however, is further along in its climate change impact risk assessment, and coastal resilience planning, development and implementation process. Our guest speaker, Leah Hill, will share her expertise and lessons learned since she assumed the role of Nantucket’s Coastal Resilience Coordinator in 2023, and offer invaluable insights as we further our community’s understanding of our coastal vulnerabilities and shape our path forward.
Building Coastal Resilience: Lessons from Nantucket for Block Island will take place Saturday, April 25 at BIMI, 5pm. The event will be streamed on Zoom and recorded and posted here on BIRA’s website and the BIRA YouTube channel.
Zoom details: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82549471415? pwd=UhUuXZ3cggiQu0rFo4LJLR8siQLtnl.1
Meeting ID: 825 4947 1415 Passcode: 481398
Following a brief overview by the Coastal Resilience Committee on Block Island’s progress in adapting to, and mitigating, coastal erosion and flooding, Hill will present aspects of Nantucket’s Comprehensive Resilience Plan, including the $3 million Easy Street flood mitigation project, a $300,000 wastewater treatment facility upgrade, a retreat and relocation program, as well as the ongoing oyster restoration in Sesachacha Pond and a pilot erosion mitigation project. Hill will also highlight challenges and successes of Nantucket’s implementation process and offer key lessons and Nantucket Coastal Resilience Coordinator, Leah Hill recommendations for Block island. While on Block Island, Hill will also visit key vulnerable sites on the island, meet with CRC members and Town Officials.
Leah Hill spent her childhood summers on Nantucket and has been a full-time resident for the past 17 years. She is the Coastal Resilience Coordinator for the Town of Nantucket’s Natural Resources Department, where she leads implementation of the Town’s Coastal Resilience Plan to address erosion, flooding, and climate impacts through 2070. She also serves as staff liaison to the Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee. Leah holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Eckerd College and a Master’s degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences with a focus in aquaculture from the University of Florida. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in, on, or near the water with her family and their two miniature Australian Shepherds.
The Coastal Resilience Committee (CRC) was established by the Town Council in 2021 to gather current scientific data and build on community knowledge to advise the town on priority actions that will improve Block Island’s coastal resiliency.
The Block Island Residents Association (BIRA) is an advocate for the community’s critical issues, including the long-term sustainability of our island, deer management, and affordable housing. For more information contact Joe Loya, BIRA, joe.loya@BIRA02807.org, or Anne Salinas, CRC, anne.salinas@gmail.com.