The local government of Massachusetts announced the series of programs and initiatives that they will launch to prepare the state for the effects of climate change.
Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that the government will be allocating $50 million to start programs that will assess and address the state's vulnerabilities to climate change-related disasters. The fund will also be used for climate change preparedness programs such as transportation, public health, business, and energy. The announcement was made in a press conference at the New England Aquarium.
Since 2010, Massachusetts has been visited by five powerful storms including super storm Sandy. On top of that, vector-borne diseases were documented and in 2012, the incidences of the Eastern equine encephalitis have increased which led to aerial spraying. In 2013, the famous oyster beds have to be shut down, a first in the state's history, due to the threat of the bacterium vibrio parahaemolyticus.
"Massachusetts must be ready,'' Gov. Patrick told Boston Globe. "First, we must harden our energy resources. If you lost power during that October ice storm during 2011 ... or any one of the weather events we have experienced, you will particularly appreciate the importance of proving the resilience of our energy grid."
The budget for this climate change preparedness program includes a $40 million grant from the Department of Energy. Allocation will be made to enable towns and cities to create better protective structures around their energy plants.
Aside from these, the governor will also allot $10 million to repair dams and other coastal infrastructure. This includes the $1 million grant which will be given to municipalities to help them reduce the risks of sea-level rise and coastal storms.
Mayor Walsh, on the other hand, said that the city has recently finished a report detailing the area's weak spots when it comes to climate-change related problems as well as high priority areas.
"My team and I are reviewing the report closely, and I'll be making some announcements in the coming weeks and months about the actions we will take in making Boston better prepared for the next superstorm,'' Walsh said to Boston Globe.
