A Greenagers team works with Housatonic Valley Authority's Alison Dixon to access a culvert on Cherry Bounce Lane. Photo: Patrick White

Press Release: MVP Action Grant

NEWS: Press Release — City of Pittsfield; Towns of Lenox, Stockbridge, and New Marlborough; Housatonic Valley Association (HVA); Greenagers; Trout Unlimited; Mass Audubon; and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission present A Regional Approach to Climate Resilience Through Youth Development, Culvert Assessments, Conservation Organization, and Municipal Collaboration

If you see a crew of Berkshire youth studying bridges and culverts, it's likely to be the Greenagers Youth Crew. Funded through Massachusetts' Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant, this regional project assesses the flood risk of culverts and bridges in Pittsfield, Lenox, Stockbridge, and New Marlborough. This two-year project, set to conclude in 2023, involves multiple partners including Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC), Housatonic Valley Association {HVA}, Trout Unlimited, Mass Audubon, and Greenagers.

MVP funds allow the communities to complete road-stream crossing assessment for all their bridges and culverts. Funds also provide each community with a Road Stream Crossing Management Plan (RSCMP), an inventory of each municipality's road-stream crossings, a priority ranking for replacing culverts, and completing preliminary designs to replace one priority culvert while also providing recommendations for nature-based solutions.

The MVP program has awarded over $65 million in funding and technical support to communities across the state. With this year's awards, 93% of Massachusetts cities and towns, or 328 municipalities, are enrolled. Created in 2017 as part of Governor Baker's Executive Order 569, the MVP program pairs local leadership and knowledge with a significant investment of resources and funding from the Commonwealth to address ongoing climate change impacts like inland flooding, storms, and extreme temperatures.

Emphasis is placed on engaging with Environmental Justice neighborhoods and climate vulnerable populations while gathering qualitative data through storytelling and conversation with community elders.

BRPC and municipalities are partnering with local groups and nonprofits to both inform the community about the project and to hear from residents what their greatest concerns are when it comes to flooding and current infrastructure. In addition to community engagement, there is a robust educational component. Through a Natural Resources Damages grant, Mass Audubon and HVA will teach local elementary, middle and high school students about climate change impacts, nature-based solutions for flood resilience, floodplain mapping, and how they contribute to climate resilience. Community members interested in being involved or learning more can contact Courtney Morehouse at BRPC (cmorehouse@berkshireplanning.org).

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