BOSTON (WWLP) – The Healey-Driscoll administration will be releasing the first $10 million of disaster relief funding for communities that were damaged by flooding in 2023.
The disaster funds comes from the supplemental budget that was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Maura Healey back in December. Lieutenant Governor Driscoll announced that the administration is increasing funding for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program by 35 percent.
This additional $7 million funding will to help communities specifically plan, design and construct nature-based solutions to inland flooding. The Healey-Driscoll administration will also be opening applications for the Fiscal Year 2025 Community One Stop for Growth program, where municipalities can apply for funding through state community and economic development grant programs. The One Stop process helps to make grant programs more accessible to all communities, but also helps to make sure the equitable distribution of resources across all regions of the Commonwealth.
Flood Funding
Governor Healey and the Legislature created a supplemental budget together back in December that included $15 million for municipalities that experienced damage or incurred emergency response costs from extreme weather during the past year.
The administration will now be distributing the first round of $10 million to 37 communities. The remaining $5 million will be released later on during the Spring to support municipalities impacted by the storms in September.
The list of the planned award distributions for the first $10 million are as follows:
- Berkshire-Adams-$525,000
- Berkshire-Becket-$315,000
- Berkshire-Clarksburg-$575,000
- Berkshire-Dalton-$20,000
- Berkshire-Hinsdale-$45,000
- Berkshire-North Adams-$1,225,000
- Berkshire-Peru-$20,000
- Berkshire-Sandisfield-$20,000
- Berkshire-Sheffield-$20,000
- Berkshire-Washington-$20,000
- Worcester-Fitchburg-$1,140,000
- Worcester-$North Brookfield-$100,000
- Worcester-Royalston-$20,000
- Worcester-Sturbridge-$20,000
- Hampshire-Goshen-$20,000
- Hampshire-Northampton-$365,000
- Hampshire-Plainfield-$20,000
- Hampshire-Williamsburg-$20,000
- Franklin-Ashfield-$400,000
- Franklin-Buckland-$20,000
- Franklin-Conway-$1,245,000
- Franklin-Deerfield-$1,580,000
- Franklin-Gill-$30,000
- Franklin-Greenfield-$105,000
- Franklin-Heath-$30,000
- Franklin-Leverett-$20,000
- Franklin-Shutesbury-$20,000
- Franklin-Wendell-$55,000
- Plymouth-Mattapoisett-$100,000
- Norfolk-Dover-$405,000
- Middlesex-Billerica-$165,000
- Essex-Amesbury-$25,000
- Essex-Andover-$25,000
- Essex-Haverhill-$480,000
- Essex-Lawrence-$60,000
- Essex-Methuen-$20,000
- Essex-North Andover-$725,000
“Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and I have spent the past year visiting municipalities that suffered catastrophic damage due to severe weather. We knew they needed more support to rebuild, which is why we worked with the Legislature to secure these disaster relief funds,” said Governor Healey. “We’re proud to be delivering the first round of these funds to 37 cities and towns to relieve some of the burden they’ve been facing, and we’re also going to increase support for municipalities in their efforts to reduce the risk of flooding in their communities through the MVP Program.”
“As the former Mayor of Salem and now as Lieutenant Governor, I know first-hand how crucial collaboration is in tackling the biggest challenges facing our 351 cities and towns,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “That’s why we are proud to offer the Community One Stop for Growth program each year, which reduces red tape and streamlines the process for communities to apply for critical state funding that will improve quality of life for their residents.”
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