NEW SALEM — The town is holding a public meeting via Zoom to review the results of the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Community Resilience Building Workshop, as well as the draft Hazard Mitigation and MVP Plan, on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Participants at the workshop, held in September, included representation from the New Salem Fire Department, Selectboard, Municipal Light Plant, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust and the Millers River Watershed Council, as well as interested residents, according to a notice from Allison Gage, land use and natural resources planner with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG). Workshop attendees helped to define the top local natural and climate-related hazards; identify existing and future strengths and vulnerabilities; and identify and prioritize actions and projects the town can implement to increase its resilience to climate change.
The MVP grant program, available through the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, provides support for cities and towns in Massachusetts to begin the process of planning for climate change resiliency and implementing priority projects, the notice explains. The state awards communities with funding to complete vulnerability assessments and develop action-oriented plans. Municipalities that complete the MVP program are then eligible for additional grant funding and other opportunities.
Public comments will be accepted during the meeting, and during a public comment period until April 14. According to Gage’s notice, registration details for Wednesday’s meeting, the draft Hazard Mitigation and MVP Plan, and public comment information will be posted on the town’s website at newsalemma.org. Comments can be emailed to Gage at agage@frcog.org.