The City of Revere will benefit from the latest round of grant awards made via the Municipal and Tribal Technical Assistance (MTTA) program, administered by the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO).
Governor Maura Healey’s office announced nearly $1.5 million in grant awards to advance local infrastructure projects and help Massachusetts communities compete for federal funding through the MTTA program last week. Grants were awarded to transportation, clean energy and resilience projects in 30 communities across the state. Eighteen awards were made to rural communities, four to Gateway Cities and one to the tribal community of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council was awarded $100,000 for the regional planning agency to build capacity to serve as regional coordinator and provide technical assistance to the cities of Gloucester and Revere, and potentially any future communities, with enrollment in the Community Rating Service (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management practices, and advancing their climate resilience commitment, that exceed the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“I’m proud to see Revere selected for this important investment in climate resilience,” said state Senator Lydia Edwards. “As a coastal community, Revere knows firsthand the challenges that flooding poses to families, businesses, and neighborhoods. This funding will help the city strengthen its floodplain management, pursue Community Rating System enrollment, and unlock long-term benefits for residents through greater resilience and potential savings on flood insurance.
“Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for making this important investment in the City Revere to help ensure our communities have the tools they need to best prepare for the future.”
Lizzi Wyant, the executive director of the MAPC, said her organization is honored to receive the grant and to partner with Gloucester and Revere in making the communities safer and more climate resilient.
“FEMA’s Community Rating System program will build on the already great work these two cities are doing in the areas of hazard mitigation planning and emergency preparedness,” said Wyant. “We are most excited that this will also mean real relief from the financial burdens brought by higher flood insurance premiums for residents in our region. MAPC is looking forward to serving as a regional voice for potentially expanding this work to other communities in the future.”
Healey said these grant awards will not only help cities, towns and tribes deliver key projects and plan for future needs, they will also allow more communities to compete for federal dollars.
“Our administration has made it a priority to pursue every federal dollar available, and these grants will enable more communities to do so,” Healey said.
Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey said the MTTA program was created to move forward the projects that communities care about and build their capacity to receive federal support.
“I’m proud to see our latest round of funding go out the door into communities and look forward to seeing the impact of these resources,” Palfrey said.