Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, October 11, 2019 A conversation about climate change Town Manager Crabtree meets with Lt. Governor Polito to discuss additional funding opportunities for Saugus (Editor’s Note: Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree’s office issued the following press release this week about a recent meeting with state officials related to potential projects related to climate change in Saugus which could receive state funds) T own Manager Scott C. Crabtree is pleased to announce that the Town of Saugus is continuing to seek funding opportunities to assist in planning for resiliency and to implement key climate change adaptation actions. Town Manager Crabtree recently met with Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides to learn about and discuss new funding opportunities for Climate Resilience Projects through the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program. Town Manager Crabtree met $3.39 $2.45 GALLON GALLON We accept: MasterCard * Visa * & Discover Price Subject to Change without notice 100 Gal. Min. 24 Hr. Service 781-286-2602 * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation with Lt. Governor Polito, Secretary Theoharides, and Representative Thomas Golden on Thursday, October 3, 2019 for the EEA’s formal announcement of its next round of funding available for proposals for the MVP Program, which provides support for Massachusetts cities and towns to plan for climate change and implement key adaptation actions for resiliency. Under this round of funding, the EEA will offer opportunities for both planning and action grants under the MVP Program. Earlier this year the Town of Saugus received $33,000 through the MVP Planning Grant Program to assist in planLawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 Lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net DISCUSSING OPTIONS: From left to right: State Representative Thomas Golden, UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney, Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides during recent meeting on climate change. (Courtesy Photo) ning for resiliency and to implement key climate change adaptation actions. “I am extremely grateful that Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, EEA Secretary Kathleen Theoharides, Representative Thomas Golden, and the EEA invited the Town of Saugus to discuss potential grant funding opportunities for hazard and vulnerability preparedness,” said Town Manager Crabtree. “If awarded, this financial assistance will continue to provide us with the necessary resources to help find solutions to alleviate flooding that can impact our residents and our community’s infrastructure, and to further assist the Town in updating its Hazard Mitigation Plan.” With $33,000 in MVP grant funding, the Town has engaged MAPC to assist Town officials in working to identify hazards, challenges, and strengths, and prepare for future climate adaptation actions to address current vulnerabilities. This funding is also allowing Town officials to begin working to update the Town’s 2014 Hazard Mitigation Plan. In addition, Town Manager Crabtree has made it a priority for Saugus to work on becoming a participant in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities exceeding the minimum NFIP standards. Under the CRS, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reward community actions that meet the three goals of the CRS, which are: reduce flood damage to insurable property; strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP; and encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management. The CRS uses a Class rating system that is similar to fire insurance rating to determine flood insurance premium reductions for residents. CRS Classes are rated from 9 to 1. Depending on the rating, residents in Special Flood Hazard Areas can receive discounts ranging from 5 percent to 45 percent their flood insurance premiums. “As of 2018, there are 456 National Flood Insurance Program policies in place in Saugus,” said Town Manager Crabtree, citing CRSResources.org. “We are working to find ways to become a participant community in the NFIP’S Community Rating System and in turn help reduce flood insurance costs for the residents of Saugus.” Town Manager Crabtree will also continue to explore opportunities that mitigate future flooding impacts on residents and the Town’s infrastructure, such as the MVP program. The MVP provides support for cities and towns in Massachusetts to plan for resiliency and implement key climate change adaptation actions for resiliency. The state awards communities with funding to complete vulnerability assessments and develop action-oriented resiliency plans. The MVP grant and designation program, which builds on Governor Charlie Baker’s Executive Order 569 as well as other administration-led state and local partnerships, provides communities with technical support, climate change data and planning tools to identify hazards and develop strategies to improve resilience. Saugus was one of 27 communities awarded funding from the Baker-Polito Administration during the round of grants awarded earlier this year. The MVP program helps communities to: Define extreme weather and natural and climate related hazards; Understand how their community may be impacted by climate change with a Massachusetts specific climate change clearinghouse with the latest science and data; Identify existing and future vulnerabilities and strengths; Develop and prioritize actions for the community; Identify opportunities to take action to reduce risk and build resilience; and Implement key actions identified through the planning process. Through the grant, the Town will engage a certified MVP provider to assess vulnerability to a full range of climate change impacts and assist with community outreach across multiple sectors of Town, as well as DISCUSSING | SEE PAGE 2
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