USA: Governor Awards Grants to Combat Climate Change Impacts

The U.S. Patrick Administration announced nearly $1 million in funding to support local climate preparedness efforts to address the effects of coastal storms, flooding, erosion and sea level rise.

The funding for this first-ever round of Coastal Community Resilience Grants was made available through U.S. Governor Patrick’s$50 million investment in climate change initiatives and will be awarded to of Barnstable, Boston, Brewster,Gloucester, Hingham, Hull, Oak Bluffs, Provincetown, Salem andWeymouth.

“We were thrilled with the local response to this program,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rick Sullivan. “These projects will result in important, on-the-ground strategies for climate preparedness in coastal communities, keeping residents, homes, businesses and natural resources safer up and down our coastline. We look forward to continuing our partnership with communities on the Patrick Administration’scomprehensive plan to protect Massachusetts from the damaging effects of climate change.”

The goal of this new program, administered by EEA’s Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), is to provide financial and technical resources for advancing new and innovative local efforts to increase awareness of climate impacts, identify vulnerabilities and implement measures to increase community resilience.

“Erosion, flooding and storm damage are serious problems in coastal communities, and with a changing climate and sea level rise, the challenges posed by these hazards are projected to worsen and broaden,” said CZM Director Bruce Carlisle. “Through the new Coastal Community Resilience Grants Program, we are providing these forward-thinking coastal cities and towns with much-needed assistance in identifying and implementing effective solutions.”

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Press Release, April 7, 2014