Statement by Julie Wormser, MyRWA Deputy Director, on An Act relative to immediate COVID-19 recovery needs (H.4219)
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) represents a generational level of investment for communities as we work to recover from the COVID pandemic. Massachusetts received $8.7 billion in ARPA funding; $5.3 billion went to the Commonwealth to decide how to spend, $3.4 billion went directly to cities and towns, and $25 million went to tribal governments.
After hearing from the Baker Administration and holding public hearings, the Joint Ways and Means Committee carefully negotiated House Bill 4219 to try to make the most of this funding. It allocates half of the State’s $5.3 billion, with the other half to be distributed once the US Congress finishes its work on the proposed infrastructure and social infrastructure bills.
We are rooting for our elected officials as they work to provide these much-needed funds to many worthy causes. Although H.4219 is nearing completion, we hope that the second bill in the spring invests far more heavily in helping communities prepare for climate-related extreme weather.
The key grant program that helps municipalities prepare for extreme weather is called the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant program. MVP currently splits $10 to $20 million a year across 351 cities and towns. The Baker Administration’s proposal (H.3922) would have increased this to approximately $300 million over three years, which would make a real difference to communities. Instead, funding across all environmental grant programs in H.4219 is $100 million, meaning that MVP is unlikely to see a substantial boost in funding.
Climate resilience must quickly become a core government function and funded as such, just like schools and roads. Our current infrastructure and emergency preparedness are not ready for the bigger storms, higher seas, and hotter summers that are already upon us. The MVP program needs a boost to $100 million/year to allow communities to plan for and design climate resilient projects. We hope that the final allocation of ARPA funding dedicates $300 million to MVP as part of its investment in helping the Commonwealth recover and thrive.
