Gov. Baker commits $5 million to climate change preparedness

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Waves lash Vineyard Haven harbor during a March nor'easter— Gabrielle Mannino

Against a backdrop of ongoing cleanup efforts from the “four’easter” that hit Massachusetts last month, Friday the the Baker-Polito administration announced it is committing $5 million in additional funding to the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program.

The MVP was created last year by Gov. Charlie Baker’s executive order to fund climate change preparedness in the commonwealth. Initially funded with $1 million, the MVP provides communities with technical support and updated data, as well as planning tools to help develop strategies to address climate change.

Funds were awarded to 71 towns and cities across the commonwealth last June.

On Martha’s Vineyard, Chilmark and West Tisbury each received $15,000 grants under the program.

MVP municipalities participate in workshops to identify key climate-related vulnerabilities and to prioritize remedial action. The workshops and planning efforts inform local plans, budgets, and grant applications.

In addition to the supplemental MVP funding, today the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) announced the launch of a new website, resilient MA Climate Clearinghouseresilientma.org — which provides communities with access to the most recent data on expected climate change impacts and links to grant programs and technical assistance. The site was developed through a partnership between the EEA, the Northeast Climate Center at UMass Amherst, and the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management. It provides access to climate change projections and sea level rise statewide, through the end of the 21st century.

 

28 COMMENTS

    • “Climate people” Who is that? Do you mean the 99% of experts in the science community that agree the amount of carbon humanity pumps into the atmosphere is causing changes in the temperature of the oceans?

      Calling that exploration of thought a waste or useless is pretty silly. The vast majority of the population of the Earth lives in coastal regions that would be effected directly by a rise sea levels. I think it is especially important to considering the plausible consequences of not being prepared.

      • Science experts have been wrong on so many things its laughable. Consensus does not mean veracity. Scientists used to think the earth was flat. If you want to agonize about climate change and its effects on the world after you are dead, please do. The planet is warming slightly. It has before and if it continues to the degree you guys are alarmed about I am certain our technology will solve the issue. In the meantime use LED bulbs and solar panels and ride bikes and I will worry about the degradation of our society in the last 40 years. That is something to worry about.

        • In 240 B.C., the Greek astronomer Eratosthenes calculated the Earth’s circumference in 240 BC. It was known the Earth wasn’t flat, those claiming otherwise (church leaders promoting an omnipotent being) couldn’t deal with being proved wrong.

          So now we have our modern day armchair scholars who think they know more than scientists. First on your agenda should be removing yourself from anything to do with education and people’s access to it.

        • Odd comment. You pretend to worry about the “degradation of our society”, yet you have no problem singing the praises of the epitome of degraded, immoral, unethical, ugly American. Donald Trump treats women like meat, has no respect for the rule of law, and in his book he openly brags about being a liar and how stupid people. Hope your Florida place is right on the water.

          • aisra or are you dondondon or maxz. I dont like Trump by personality or temperament. I like Hilary even less and I like Trumps policies except for trade. I dont sing his praises but he is dealing with issues head on.

        • Andrew– you’re kidding with your statement that ” Scientists used to think the earth was flat.” Right ? Just to inform you, the word “scientist was coined in 1883.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist
          Andrew- given that I personally know you as an educated , articulate and knowledgeable individual, I am stunned . Even flat earth nut cases knew the earth was spherical by then. But of course, there are still people today who think the earth is flat– climate change is a hoax, and Donald trump is a great president. This is classic “cognitive dissonance”. But you know that, and still you persist on your crusade to spread doubt and misinformation about serious social issues. Shame on you Andrew, shame on you..

          • Yes the definition of science was coined in 1833 but scientists existed before that under other names just as climate deniers existed before they were labelled. I drove from NYC to SFO once and the entire trip was flat so the earth must be flat. As for my house in florida, yes it is right on the water and I am not a bit worried. I experience a 33 degree average warming by moving from MV to Florida and that climate change doesnt bother me a bit and you are worried about a 1.9 degree increase. I do worry about the 100 million dollars taxpayers will need to shell out to elevate Beach Rd so that sick people can reach MV Hospital after the floods arrive. climate change is not a hoax, its warming slightly but it will change back in time. God is in control even though that last sentence absolutely infuriates you. You hate Trump but it is manifestly undeniable that reducing regulations and the tax cut has the economy on a very strong footing and we dont have enough workers. Obama didnt cause that and you are a Trump denier. shame on you.

          • @Andrew – I must harken back to my Sunday School days. Let’s get Biblical. God is in control. What did anyone and everyone in church tell you when you complained God didn’t answer your prayer?

            “That’s not how it works.”

            Genesis 1:28 – God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

            Meaning it’s the responsibility of the humans. Get off your rear and help save the planet for future generations.

          • @andrew Minds like Pythagoras figured out the Earth was round before 500 BC. Why for two millennia did people say those minds were wrong, that the earth is flat? Why do some today say scientists today are wrong about CO2 levels causing the planet surface to heat?

  1. Sounds like a big commitment, right? When one really considers Governor Baker’s action in the context of the reality of climate science a larger truth is revealed. Consider the elevation of Beach Road in the effort to insure access to our new hospital. What might that project cost, 30, 50, or even 100 million dollars if an elevated causeway is constructed? That is just one project. The previous comment illustrates how people avoid the reality of the future we face. It is far easier to bury one’s head on the sand than confront the truth. Folks might be surprised that our military considers climate change the number ONE threat to our national security-despite what our President says. The insurance industry is also very clear about this, as indicated by their increasing demands on the design requirements for construction of buildings anywhere near the coastal areas. We can no longer ignore what is coming. That does not mean we need be afraid, but it is time that we attempt to assess how we will have to retreat and adapt. Five million dollars doesn’t begin to get the ball rolling.

  2. What a crock!
    Climate change is a natural phenomenon!
    Man, in his arrogance, would like to believe that it is of his doing, it is not!
    All this does is line a few pockets!
    Baker is a disgraceful RINO sellout!
    That money could have gone a long way in really helping the people of this Commonwealth!

    • local opine–please show us any information that the current rate of temperature change on planet earth has anything to do with natural causes.

  3. By polar ice core samples, CO2 levels have been running in a 120,000 year cycle and temperatures follow the CO2 cycle. We’ve been in a warming trend the past 20,000 years, comparable to prior cycles. The concern is all the other cycles had CO2 leveling off about now, instead CO2 concentration is higher than the past 400,000 years.
    https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Atmospheric-temperatures-based-on-ice-core-drillings-from-Vostok-Petit-JR-et-al_fig1_265265398

    I’ll listen to the scientists, thank you.

  4. All of these people who claim humans can’t affect the climate and therefore the atmosphere sem to have forgotten or not be old enough to remember the hole in the ozone layer. Proof positive that humans can and have affected the atmosphere.Only dolts or the willfully ignorant deny human made climate change.

    • islanduh. Yes the ozone hole is now almost closed due to the 1987 Montreal Protocol and discontinued use of CFC’s but in so doing, by closing the hole, Ozone which is itself a greenhouse gas is causing more global warming. dont mess with nature. Man closed the hole but also created more problems. Did you know this or did you remain woefully ignorant?

      • Ozone protects us from the deadly effects of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Maybe we should let scientists continue to identify problems and offer recommendations how to fix. You know, because studying this stuff is what they do.

      • andrew your comment about the Montreal protocol is quite interesting– I think it’s the first time you have acknowledged that humans created a global atmospheric problem and then could fix it.. A good baby step for you in your understanding of global dynamics. Not only that, you are clearly stating that certain gasses in the atmosphere (in this case ozone) cause “global warming” . I am impressed at your learning curve.
        So if an arsonist sets fire to a house, should the fire department not put it out because the house will suffer significant water damage?

        • dondondon. My point is the Montreal Protocol made things worse. My house was not on fire but the fire department came and wetted it down and ruined a whole lot of furniture. Humans didnt create anything until the Protocol and then they fiddled with nature and it bit them in the butt.

          • Andrew — I need a little clarification on your logic– I am a bit slow on this one…
            so do you deny there was ever an “ozone hole” ?
            or do you deny that humans caused it with chlorofluorocarbons ?(cfcs)
            but humans closed it by taking cfcs off the market ?
            It sounds like you might think that the ozone hole opened up naturally over a period of about 30 years, and those nasty liberal so called scientist ( who you claim don’t know anything and lie about all things climate related) made us quit using a class of chemical compounds for no reason ,but That interfered with nature, and is making so called “global warming ” worse ?
            It would seem that if we were making it worse, it has to exist ?
            It’s hard to argue with your logic sometimes…

      • My point is human activity can and does affect the atmosphere. As my example shows.I’m not sure what your point is.

        • islanduh– the times format does not show who you are replying to-
          your comment about 30 minutes after my comment could be directed to me– or to andrew. editor please take note–

  5. New Englander. Science doesnt tell us anything. Scientists do, and once they get their teeth into an agenda we almost always get mislaid.
    Anytime someone says ”let the professionals do it” You should run the other way. The so called professionals just told us we need a 46 million dollar school and lots of reasonable people jumped into the conversation and told us otherwise. Yes we should be good stewards but that does not mean we panic at predictions that are highly speculative and extremely costly. Are you prepared to put say 200k right now into a lock box for the future to be used for climate change preparedness after you are dead and gone? Please do so.

    • Andrew —I have grandchildren I am willing to tell greedy people , who have no moral compass about future generations, to quit sucking on the capitalist teat for their benefit, and to not leave my grand children a scorched earth.

  6. dondondon. yes you are a bit slow to understand. here is my statement. the earth is warming slightly. It is not man caused and it will return a different cycle in time. Leave nature alone and stop speculating and attempting to have countries spend money on a natural phenomenon. If you cannot do that because you are worried about your grandkids then put your own money into a lockbox preserved for attempting to reduce warming and stop lecturing to the rest of us to spend our money on your delusions. is that clear enough? Drill for more oil due to new technology, reduce the price of oil, lift millions more out of poverty with lower prices, deregulate the heck out of Washington DC, grow our GDP so that more people have meaningful work and reduce entitlements except for the intractably poor. Raise the Social Security age to 68, cut back on Medicare and Medicaid which is being gamed and reduce the corruption of Disability payments. Stop lecturing us on which bathroom to use and what statues we need to be afraid of and agree that science has settled on the X and Y chromosome to determine gender. Put Universities back into the hands of leaders and Boards rather than being held hostage by dumb students and punish disruptions on campuses. Would you like more advice or are my words offensive to you and you need me next time to issue a trigger warning before I microagress you and hurt your feelings?

    • Andrew– you spelled out your moralities and your priorities quite well here. They are against everything America has ever stood for, which is why sane patriotic Americans need to put opinions like yours into the trash bin of history.
      Ignorant, homophobic, xenophobic extreme right wing opinions that are based in hate and fear are not likely going to hurt my feelings.
      You do come up with some good words. However, “microagress” is not a real word, but I get the drift.

    • Ice cores taken indicate CO2 levels reach 300 ppm (parts per million) about every 120,000 years and surface temperatures follow. The current CO2 level is close to 400 ppm. Does this seem it might be a problem to you and if not, why not?

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