Overview
The purpose of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs’ Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant program is to assist municipalities in preparing for the impacts of climate change through the participation in a community climate vulnerability workshop and development of a climate change action plan. Communities that complete the planning grant will be eligible for future implementation grants and will achieve increased standing in other state grant programs.
Project Components
Top Hazards
The following hazards are anticipated to worsen with climate change and were identified as top concerns in the CRB Summary of Finds Report. To read more about the impacts of climate change to Massachusetts, check out http://www.resilientma.org/ or https://mysticriver.org/climate-resilience.
Highest Priorities
- Horn Pond Brook hydraulic and vegetation improvements for flood control and fish migration.
- Address flooding at Four Corners at the intersection of Cambridge and Russell Streets.
- Reduce flooding by adding flood storage and wetland creation/restoration in adjacent empty lot along Russell Street that the City is in the process of acquiring.
- Repair culvert along Shaker Glen Brook
- Floodproof businesses
- Work with business to add green infrastructure as well as permeable surfaces
- Repair drainage to allow emergency access to west side of the City during high intensity rain events
- Increase storage, drainage upgrades, drainage improvements, raise roads and add green infrastructure in areas that flood regularly, including but not limited to Four Corners, Olympia Ave, Nashua/Draper St, New Boston St, Washington Street, Salem St, and School St.
- Improve stream crossings/culverts – increase capacity and clean regularly.
- Additional funding to DPW for road/drainage maintenance and upgrades. DPW preventative maintenance plan and stormwater management plan.
- Add an additional emergency shelter in the City.
- Coordinate and improve communications systems with EMS. Work with doctors, senior center, housing authority, grocery stores and shelters to pass along information on the RAVE system (state and local emergency notification system) to seniors, low income, commuting, non-English speaking residents. Create list of at-risk residents in case of power failure. Provide incentives to look in on fragile residents more systematically. Consider more extensive training (less than EMS).
- Upgrade and increase drinking water management for increased population and drought. This could include redundant pumps, capital improvement plan, investment, and execution.
- Add additional requirements for new developments. These areas can contribute to stormwater retention and green infrastructure to reduce flooding. Avoid losing open space. Floodplain zoning should be for a 500-year storm.
- Develop a stormwater task force. Review and update stormwater ordinance as necessary to address stormwater quality and quantity and to promote stormwater management onsite.
- Maximize site-specific stormwater retention. Identify opportunities for enhanced stormwater retention.
For the full Community Resilience Building Workshop Summary of Findings please see this Climate Vulnerability Report 2019.
