HYANNIS – Governor Charlie Baker recently announced $21 million in grants to support climate resiliency projects in municipalities throughout Massachusetts, including towns on Cape Cod and the Islands.
The $21 million in funding via the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program indicates a doubling of last years budget for the program.
The grant provides communities with funding and technical support to identify climate hazards, develop strategies to improve resilience, and implement priority actions to adapt to climate change,
“With the ongoing success of the MVP program, we are pleased to double the program’s funding this year to support local climate change resilience projects throughout the Commonwealth,” said Baker.
“Massachusetts communities are implementing important, nation-leading efforts to adapt to climate change.”
“Our administration is committed to working with municipalities across the Commonwealth to tackle these urgent challenges, which is why we have proposed a significant increase in funding for climate adaptation projects through our federal ARPA spending plan,” said Baker.
The grants come separate from plans to invest $900 million in funding from the America Recue Plan Act into environmental and energy initiatives, with $300 million allocated to support climate change infrastructure.
Beneficiaries of the program on the Cape and Islands include Dennis, Falmouth, Mashpee, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury, Edgartown, Chilmark, Aquinnah, Gosnold, Sandwich, Wellfleet, Truro, Eastham, Brewster, Barnstable, and Bourne.
Funds for the Cape and Islands will be used for projects such as improvements to sewage infrastructure, flood mitigation and storm drainage improvements, low lying road assessment, watershed-based solutions to increase resilience to algae blooms in the Santuit Pond, and Phase One of the Herring River Restoration Project.
Statewide, 16 new towns were added to the programs planning process, bringing the total to number of cities, towns, and regional partnerships in which funds were awarded to 66.
Ninety-three percent of Massachusetts cities and towns encompassing 328 municipalities are currently enrolled in the program.
By, Matthew Tomlinson, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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