Vinalhaven: The Downtown Project

Vinalhaven is an island community located approximately 12 miles off the coast of Maine. The island has a year-round population of about 1,300 people as of 2022, with an additional 3,000 people who reside on the island in the summer months. The two largest industries on Vinalhaven are lobster fishing and tourism. The town is in the midst of planning a restoration of the infrastructure of its small downtown area, which is the center of commercial activity on the island, and where most of the commercial fishing industry is located. The downtown infrastructure has many deficiencies, from antiquated water and drainage systems to a haphazard collection of sidewalks. The multi-million dollar scope of the restoration projects is substantial, especially when compared to the population of the island.

The downtown area is subject to occasional flooding in its current configuration, and some town residents and leaders believe that the anticipated sea level rise over the coming decades will exacerbate the flooding. The town wants to build the infrastructure to adapt to the anticipated sea level rise. That raises several questions: how much of a sea level rise should they consider? What are the forecasts on sea level rise, and which estimates (expected, worst case, best case) are most relevant? What are the costs of the sea-level-rise-induced changes? And, does the rise in sea level raise too many questions about the long-run sustainability of the island?

The link to this multimedia case should be provided to students in advance as preparation for classroom case discussion.