Massachusetts has launched a 50-year plan to ready the coastline to withstand rising seas and extreme weather. According to reporting by Vivian La for WBUR, the announcement in early November was timed to coincide with king tides, some of highest of the year and a common cause of coastal flooding. La writes, “The plan, called the ResilientCoasts Initiative, uses a regional approach, outlining near- and long-term strategies that range from elevating roads and other infrastructure to restoring natural floodplains. Tepper said the goal is to support towns and cities — and their unique challenges — by providing state funding and other resources for these efforts.
Chelsea leaders praised the plan’s acknowledgement that some communities face greater risk than others due to differences in geography, land use and factors such as race and income…
The new state plan proposes more collaboration between local governments and the private sector, including insurance companies, to fund coastal resilience projects. It’s a strength of the plan, according to Rebecca Herst, associate director for resilience with the Boston Green Ribbon Commission. But she said funding remains a concern as communities face other challenges, like shifting federal policies and rising costs for housing and health care.”
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Read out the ResilientCoasts Initiative.