BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration has awarded $12 million in grants to municipalities across the Commonwealth to plan for and implement climate change resilience projects through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program.
Of these funds, $1.7 million was awarded to 65 communities to pursue a community-led planning process to identify vulnerabilities to climate change and priority actions. The remaining $10.3 million was awarded to 34 communities that had completed the planning process and are ready to implement projects that build local resilience to climate change impacts.
“Massachusetts has been a national leader in addressing climate change, and these grants represent the Commonwealth’s largest funding commitment yet to improving community resilience to climate change impacts,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Mitigating climate change and adapting to reduce risk and build resilience will foster stronger communities, protect residents and natural resources, and contribute to strong economic growth and innovation throughout the Commonwealth.”
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ MVP grant and designation program, which builds on Governor Baker’s Executive Order 569 as well as other administration-led state and local partnerships, provides communities with technical support, climate change data and planning tools to identify hazards and develop strategies to improve resilience. This funding is part of the largest release of climate change resilience funding for Massachusetts communities in state history.
“Our Administration is committed to partnering with cities and towns to develop practical and cost-effective solutions to build the climate-resilient communities of tomorrow,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “We are proud that 71 percent of Massachusetts communities are working collaboratively with us through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change, and look forward to enrolling all communities in this important program.”
Through the MVP Program, municipalities identify key climate-related hazards, vulnerabilities and strengths, develop adaptation actions, and prioritize next steps. Results of the workshops and planning efforts inform existing local plans, grant applications, and policies. Communities are then eligible for competitive MVP Action Grant funding to implement priority on-the-ground projects. With this announcement, 71 percent of Commonwealth communities have received MVP Planning Grants, while 70 climate change resilience projects have received MVP Action Grants.
“The record participation in the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program underscores the real need for climate-smart solutions that promote strong local economies while reducing risks and avoiding future costs,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to supporting municipalities in getting this work off the ground through the ResilientMA legislation, which would provide a new and sustained funding source for climate resilience projects.”
The following communities will receive funding to complete the MVP planning process in 2019:
Municipality | Region | Total Award |
Agawam | Pioneer Valley | $24,000 |
Aquinnah | Cape & Islands | $25,000 |
Ashland | Boston Metro | $20,000 |
Athol | Central | $53,000 |
Attleboro | Southeast | $32,000 |
Avon | Boston Metro | $46,500 |
Barre | Central | $20,000 |
Becket | Berkshires | $27,000 |
Bedford | Boston Metro | $22,000 |
Belmont | Boston Metro | $31,000 |
Blandford | Pioneer Valley | $20,000 |
Dennis | Cape & Islands | $20,000 |
Douglas | Central | $15,000 |
Dudley | Central | $15,000 |
East Longmeadow | Pioneer Valley | $20,000 |
Fairhaven | Southeast | $55,000 |
Fitchburg | Central | $102,000 |
Gardner | Central | $34,000 |
Goshen/Chesterfield/ Cummington/Worthington | Pioneer Valley | $27,000 |
Great Barrington | Berkshires | $27,000 |
Groton | Central | $22,000 |
Hadley | Pioneer Valley | $15,000 |
Halifax | Southeast | $15,000 |
Hamilton | Northeast | $15,000 |
Hanson | Southeast | $27,000 |
Harwich | Cape & Islands | $20,000 |
Lancaster | Central | $20,000 |
Lenox | Berkshires | $27,000 |
Leverett | Pioneer Valley | $27,000 |
Malden | Boston Metro | $38,000 |
Maynard | Boston Metro | $15,000 |
Medway | Boston Metro | $15,000 |
Merrimac | Boston Metro | $15,000 |
Middleborough | Southeast | $22,000 |
Middleton | Northeast | $27,000 |
Milton | Boston Metro | $29,374 |
Needham | Boston Metro | $33,000 |
Norfolk | Boston Metro | $15,000 |
Orange | Pioneer Valley | $20,000 |
Pepperell | Northeast | $37,500 |
Plainville | Southeast | $20,000 |
Plympton | Southeast | $20,000 |
Royalston | Central | $36,727 |
Seekonk | Southeast | $27,000 |
Shirley | Central | $20,000 |
Southborough | Boston Metro | $22,000 |
Stoughton | Boston Metro | $26,000 |
Sunderland | Pioneer Valley | $27,000 |
Templeton | Central | $15,000 |
Tewksbury | Northeast | $28,000 |
Tyngsborough | Northeast | $34,000 |
Watertown | Boston Metro | $73,760 |
Wellesley | Boston Metro | $25,000 |
Wendell | Pioneer Valley | $20,000 |
West Newbury | Northeast | $25,000 |
West Springfield | Pioneer Valley | $31,000 |
Westborough | Central | $20,000 |
Westford | Northeast | $36,000 |
Weston | Boston Metro | $26,500 |
Whately | Pioneer Valley | $20,000 |
Williamsburg | Pioneer Valley | $20,000 |
Windsor | Berkshires | $27,000 |
Total | $1,690,361 |
The following communities were awarded Action Grants in 2019:
Applicant | Project Title | Recommended funding |
Boston | Moakley Park – Resilience Preliminary Design, Technical Analysis, and Pre-Permitting | $1,500,000 |
Belchertown | Enhancing Water Supply Reliability: Resilient Water Storage and Water Conservation Planning | $223,513 |
Braintree | Armstrong Dam and Ames Pond Dam Removal – Final Design and Permitting | $90,000 |
Brockton | Integrated Water Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment and Economic Development Plan for Climate Resiliency | $312,615 |
Cambridge | Completing a watershed-wide analysis to optimize and coordinate regional stormwater management in the Mystic River Watershed | $350,000 |
Cohasset & Scituate | Mapping Storm Tide Pathways in Scituate and Cohasset: Assessing Coastal Vulnerability to Storms and Sea Level Rise | $112,668 |
Concord | Climate Action and Resilience Plan | $100,095 |
Concord | Reforestation and Tree Resilience | $150,000 |
Dedham | Dedham Climate Action and Resilience Plan | $185,895 |
Deerfield | Reducing Flooding Vulnerability in Deerfield | $278,023 |
Devens | Devens Climate Action & Resilience Plan | $142,170 |
Duxbury | Climate Change Flood Vulnerability Assessment/Adaptation Planning | $131,712 |
Edgartown | Climate Change Flood Vulnerability Assessment/Adaptation Planning | $90,035 |
Essex | Impacts of future storminess, greater wave energy, and increased sediment transport along Castle Neck and into Essex Bay: Essex, MA | $190,349 |
Falmouth | Coastal Resiliency Planning for the Surf Drive Area | $74,787 |
Falmouth | Coonamessett River Restoration Project: Construction of Phase 2 | $760,000 |
Mattapoisett | Pine Island Pond Watershed Lands Project | $960,000 |
Medford | Flood Mitigation Strategy Feasibility Analysis and Conceptual Design | $93,529 |
Millbury | Armory Village Green Infrastructure Project | $1,000,000 |
Nantucket | Designed for Adaptation | $78,000 |
Northampton | Protecting Downtown: Northampton’s Flood Control Levees | $315,000 |
Pittsfield | Churchill Brook and West Street Culvert Replacement Project | $814,524 |
Rehoboth | Culvert and Green Infrastructure Concept Design and Dam Resiliency Assessment | $119,622 |
Salem | Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management in City Projects | $320,861 |
Salisbury | Resilient Ring’s Island: Preventing a Neighborhood from Being Stranded by Flooding | $157,500 |
Sandwich | Communicating the Local Benefits of a Resilient Coast | $46,795 |
Southwick | Klaus Anderson Road/Johnson Brook Road-Stream Crossing Redesign, Floodplain Restoration and Green Stormwater Management | $128,056 |
Spencer | Green Infrastructure Implementation in Downtown Spencer, Mechanic Street Parking Lot | $370,492 |
Springfield | Community Resilience Through Urban Forestry: Improving Emergency Response and Environmental Conditions in Springfield Massachusetts | $315,000 |
Uxbridge | Integrated Water Infrastructure Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Resiliency Plan | $288,904 |
Walpole | Culvert Assessment and Green Infrastructure Survey | $166,496 |
Westport | Assess and Plan for Climate Threats to East Beach Corridor | $75,000 |
Winthrop | Climate Resilient Land Use | $99,740 |
Woburn | Horn Pond Brook Improved Fisheries Habitat and Flood Control | $235,355 |
Wrentham | Eagle Dam Removal | $46,000 |
Total | $10,322,736 |
“Climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience is a top priority for the Massachusetts State Senate. The imminent threat of climate change increases the potential for extreme weather events such as drought and flooding, making preparedness an important environmental, public safety, and public health issue for cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Resilience measures must continue to be a significant part of our municipal planning efforts, and so we appreciate the Administration’s support of our municipalities’ ongoing efforts to protect residents and natural resources using scientific data and cutting-edge technology.”
“Adapting to climate change in a proactive way is important, but it’s a relatively new spending priority for cities and towns,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester). “These grants will make a big difference in helping them to innovate, lead, and develop the momentum to take effective actions that build resilience and sustainability for today and tomorrow.”
“It is crucial that our communities have the resources and planning in place to deal with these weather related events that affect all aspects of communal life,” said State Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “I want to congratulate the towns of Spencer, Barre, Athol, and Templeton for their proactive approach and receiving this grant and I look forward to working with these communities as they implement their projects.”
“The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program represents a proactive approach to helping communities across Massachusetts address the unique challenges posed by climate change,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “With this grant funding, more cities and towns will be able to develop and implement resiliency plans to protect both residents and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change.”
“Oftentimes, the conversation regarding climate change adaptation concerns our coastal communities, but as we have seen, cities and towns across the Commonwealth are facing climate-related hazards,” said StateRepresentative Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox), House Chair of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “I am thankful to the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, and the work of Secretary Theoharides and the entire Baker-Polito Administration for their commitment towards helping all of the Commonwealth have a funding source to aid in resiliency projects.”
Governor Baker filed the Resilient MA legislation to support municipalities and help protect Massachusetts residents, communities, economy, natural resources and infrastructure from the adverse effects of climate change, through an increase in the excise on real estate transfers to fund a substantial and sustained investment in climate change adaptation through programs like MVP. The revenue would be directed towards investments in resilient infrastructure to help make communities safer, keep vital services online, reduce the long-term costs of climate-related risks and protect the value of property across the Commonwealth. The proposal is estimated to generate $1.3 billion over 10 years which would be deposited into the Commonwealth’s Global Warming Solutions Trust Fund to support municipalities and regional municipal partnerships through loans, grants and technical assistance to implement priority adaptation projects.
The MVP program implements Executive Order 569, which established an integrated strategy for climate change adaptation across the Commonwealth. Local climate change vulnerabilities and actions identified through the MVP program inform the Statewide Hazard Mitigation and Adaptation Plan – a blueprint to protect residents, communities, and local economies. The funding available through the MVP program builds upon the Baker-Polito Administration’s continued commitment to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
–Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
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