Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness(MVP) and Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP)

Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) and Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP)

The Town of Saugus was awarded funding to complete the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Planning Grant program and update the Town’s Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP).

• The MVP grant program provides technical and financial support for cities and towns across the Commonwealth to plan for, and mitigate the impacts from, climate change.
• The HMP is part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that involves identifying the risks and vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters, and developing long-term strategies for protecting people and property from future hazard events.

The Town partnered with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to develop each plan and facilitate workshops to identify and prioritize steps for community resilience planning and hazard mitigation efforts. A core team and stakeholder group representing many town departments, community groups, and others complete workshops focused on community resilience building and planning for more effective response to the impacts of natural hazards and climate change.

Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Workshop

The MVP Planning Grant program, funded through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), provides support for Massachusetts cities and towns to begin the process of planning for climate change resilience and implementing priority projects. EOEEA awards communities with funding to complete vulnerability assessments and develop action-oriented resilience plans. Communities who complete the MVP Planning Grant become certified as MVP Communities and are eligible to apply for MVP Action Grants and other funding opportunities.

The final MVP report can be found here:Final MVP Report

Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP)

The Massachusetts EOEEA also awarded the Town a grant to update the HMP. The HMP process will review and update what natural hazards are likely to pose a threat and develop mitigation strategies. The updated plan will result in identifiable cost-effective mitigation actions that focus on the greatest risks to our community. An up-to-date HMP will position the Town to be more competitive for certain types of grants and non-emergency disaster assistance from the Federal Government.

The HMP was introduced to the public at a Planning Board Meeting on March 18, 2021. The draft was presented to receive public feedback at a Planning Board Meeting on June 3, 2021.The slides can be viewed here: https://www.saugus-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1181/f/uploads/saugus_hmp-mvp_public_meeting_powerpoint.pdf and a video of the meeting can be found here: https://vimeo.com/559112339.

A draft of the plan is available to view here: Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021 Updated Draft