Massachusetts State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan
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| Massachusetts State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Massachusetts State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan |
| Jurisdiction | Massachusetts |
| Agency | Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Massachusetts) |
| Date adopted | 2018 |
| Supersedes | Massachusetts State Hazard Mitigation Plan (2013) |
Massachusetts State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan The Massachusetts State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan is the Commonwealth's comprehensive framework for reducing risks from natural hazards and climate change, coordinating resilience across municipal, regional, and state levels. It integrates hazard mitigation planning with climate adaptation science to guide actions for infrastructure, coastal communities, and critical facilities. The Plan aligns with federal programs and state statutes to prioritize projects, funding, and cross-agency collaboration.
Overview and Purpose
The Plan synthesizes hazard modeling, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration datasets, and regional studies such as those by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to inform statewide priorities. It serves as a policy instrument for agencies like the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Massachusetts), Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation while supporting compliance with the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and engagement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Purpose elements include reducing vulnerabilities for assets such as ports overseen by the Massachusetts Port Authority, utilities regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and public health systems including Massachusetts General Hospital.
Legal and Policy Framework
The Plan operates within statutory authorities including the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management program, the Wetlands Protection Act (Massachusetts), and the Global Warming Solutions Act requirements. It references federal instruments such as the National Flood Insurance Program and aligns with standards from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Interagency coordination invokes entities like the Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts), Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and regional commissions including the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Legal guidance draws on precedents involving the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and administrative rules administered by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Risk Assessment and Hazard Identification
Risk assessment combines hazard maps from National Aeronautics and Space Administration, sea-level rise projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and state-scale analyses by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. Identified hazards include coastal storm surge affecting sites like Boston Harbor, inland flooding in river basins including the Merrimack River, hurricane impacts comparable to Hurricane Sandy (2012), nor'easter damage patterns, heat waves linked to trends studied by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and infrastructure vulnerability exemplified by incidents at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. Critical facilities assessed include airports such as Logan International Airport, rail corridors managed by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and energy transmission owned by Eversource Energy.
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
Strategies emphasize nature-based solutions from projects similar to those by the New England Aquarium and Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, structural measures guided by US Army Corps of Engineers practice, and policy instruments informed by Union of Concerned Scientists analyses. Actions include managed retreat planning for Cape communities like Cape Cod, floodplain restoration in the Charles River, resilient retrofit programs for municipal buildings inspired by initiatives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and green infrastructure investments exemplified by projects in Somerville, Massachusetts. The Plan recommends land use reforms compatible with state programs run by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and financing approaches used by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
Implementation and Funding Mechanisms
Implementation assigns roles to the Governor of Massachusetts, cabinet-level agencies, and regional councils such as the Cape Cod Commission. Funding streams combine federal grants from Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation assistance, state appropriations through the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, and public-private partnerships involving entities like Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and municipal bonds issued by cities including Springfield, Massachusetts. The Plan describes eligibility for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds, integration with Community Development Block Grant activities, and coordination with state procurement overseen by the Office of the Inspector General (Massachusetts).
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Updates
Monitoring protocols reference performance metrics consistent with guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and reporting cycles aligned with Federal Emergency Management Agency review periods. The Plan establishes periodic update mechanisms engaging academic partners such as Boston University and University of Massachusetts Amherst to incorporate new science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Evaluation uses risk indicators tied to assets like the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority network and outcomes from pilot projects in municipalities including New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Stakeholder Engagement and Public Participation
Stakeholder engagement requires consultations with municipal governments such as Boston, Massachusetts and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, tribal entities including the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), utility operators like National Grid (United Kingdom) subsidiaries, non-governmental organizations such as Mass Audubon and The Nature Conservancy, and academic institutions including Northeastern University. Public participation processes mirror civic outreach models used in planning efforts by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and incorporate data-sharing platforms similar to those from MassGIS to ensure transparency and community-driven prioritization.