How to Power a City

A free community screening of the award-winning climate documentary How to Power a City took place on April 27, 2026 at The Screening Room in Newburyport.

Co-presented by Storm Surge and the City of Newburyport Energy Advisory Committee, the event brought residents together to explore practical solutions to climate change through renewable energy. The 72-minute film highlights real-world projects across six U.S. locations, showcasing how communities are adopting solar and wind power despite political and economic challenges. Following the screening, director Melanie La Rosa joined attendees for a live Q&A, offering insight into the film’s creation and the broader movement for climate action.

Praised for its solutions-focused approach, the documentary has received multiple “best of fest” nominations, including honors for Best Feature Documentary and Best Director. La Rosa’s work emphasizes how individuals and communities can contribute to addressing climate change, a message that resonated strongly in coastal Newburyport, where climate impacts are increasingly tangible.

Supported in part by the Newburyport Cultural Council, the event aimed to inspire local engagement and spark meaningful conversations about renewable energy and community-driven climate solutions

Making Space for Water: Reimagining Our Relationship to the Coast

In this talk, Emma Gildesgame, Climate Adaptation Director at The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, explored how coastal communities can proactively plan for rising sea levels and intensifying storms, shifting the focus from whether to adapt to how. She shared insights from her work facilitating community conversations about coastal relocation as one strategy within a broader climate adaptation toolkit, addressing misconceptions and highlighting voluntary, community-centered approaches that enhance safety while allowing coastal ecosystems to adjust. The presentation also covered emerging state efforts, including a developing Massachusetts statewide buyout program, and emphasized the relevance of these issues for Greater Newburyport—from Plum Island to the Merrimack River—offering attendees a deeper understanding of the options communities are considering in response to a changing coastline.

Emma’s slides are available here.

A Community Conversation with Climate Scientist Erika Spanger "What Now?" as World Overshoots Critical 1.5°C Target

February 5, 2026

Storm Surge welcomed climate scientist Erika Spanger, Director of Strategic Climate Analytics at the Union of Concerned Scientists, for a community conversation exploring the global implications of surpassing the 1.5°C warming threshold established under the Paris Agreement. Spanger explained how rising global temperatures are driving sea level rise, intensifying extreme weather, and increasing climate risks for coastal communities like Newburyport. Drawing on her extensive research on coastal flooding and extreme heat, she helped audiences understand what this milestone means and why communities must prepare for increasing climate impacts.

The presentation also focused on pathways forward, emphasizing adaptation strategies and the importance of community dialogue in navigating climate uncertainty. Spanger encouraged residents to engage with local resilience planning while acknowledging the complexity of responding to global climate shifts.

Protecting the Merrimack: A Community Talk on Water Quality and Solutions

On November 20, 2025 Curt Rogers and Jose Tapia from the Merrimack River Watershed Council presented at the Newburyport Senior/Community Center. Their presentation offered a clear, data-driven look at the challenges facing the river—from the scale of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to the impacts of increasingly intense rainfall driven by climate change. They also shared early findings from MRWC’s real-time monitoring sensor placed in Newburyport, which provides valuable on-the-ground insight into bacterial conditions following storm events.

The speakers outlined the decades-long, federally mandated infrastructure projects underway across the watershed and explained why major reductions in CSOs require significant state and federal investment. They also highlighted practical actions residents can take now to help protect water quality, including reducing stormwater runoff, staying informed about CSO notifications, and supporting ongoing advocacy efforts.

Climate Change and Shellfishing in the Merrimack River: End of a Legacy or a New Beginning?

October 21, 2025

The December 2024 closure of Massachusetts' only Shellfish Purification Plant marks a pivotal moment for one of New England's most productive fisheries. For decades, this facility on Plum Island—the nation's oldest and largest depuration plant—has been the lifeline for Merrimack River estuary clams, purifying harvests from waters impacted by upstream development before they reach consumers nationwide.

Now, rising seas and coastal erosion have forced the plant's permanent closure, threatening to end a world-class soft-shell clam fishery that has sustained generations of harvesters and supplied restaurants across the country. The question facing the industry is stark: Is this the end of a centuries-old tradition, or can innovation and adaptation chart a new course forward?

Wayne Castonguay, Regional Shellfish Program Leader for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, will explore the rich history of this iconic fishery, examine how climate change is reshaping coastal industries, and present potential pathways to preserve this vital resource for future generations.

When Insurance Markets Fail: Community Solutions for Climate-Threatened Homeowners

Charlie Sidoti, Executive Director of InnSure provided an informative presentation on cutting-edge approaches to closing the climate insurance "protection gap." He discussed their flood resilience pilot program with Salem, Massachusetts—the first of its kind in the state—which combines home resilience audits with community-based insurance solutions that recognize and reward local climate adaptation efforts. Learn how these innovative approaches address the growing challenges coastal communities face as traditional insurance markets struggle with increasing climate risks.

High Stakes at High Tide: Understanding Coastal Flood Risks

In this talk, Katie Giannakopoulos, Coastal Dynamics Research Associate at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, takes a closer look at the forces driving sea level rise—from the gradual shifts caused by climate change to the sudden impacts of powerful coastal storms. She examines the January 2024 storms to determine what made them so severe for communities across the Gulf of Maine, and how science and community action can improve preparedness and response.

The Coastal Resilience Benefits of Seagrass Meadows and Wetlands

Dr. Phil Colarusso, Marine Biologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for a presentation on April 10, 2025. Dr. Colarusso explores the role of seagrass meadows and wetlands in strengthening coastal resilience, mitigating climate change, and supporting marine biodiversity. Following his talk, Boston-based, internationally acclaimed artist Nedret Andre shared how her abstract paintings are inspired by seagrass habitats and the scientific efforts to restore them.

Life Cycle of an Oyster and how Coastal Acidification affects this important reef builder

Liv Woods and John Cigliano from the Mass Oyster Project joined us at the Newburyport Senior/Community Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Liv presented an overview of the Mass Oyster Project and John spoke to the affects of coastal acidification on the Gulf of Maine and Oyster populations.