|
BOSTON - Friday, August 12, 2022 - Today,
Mayor Michelle Wu announced Coastal
Resilience Solutions for East Boston and Charlestown (Phase II), a comprehensive framework to understand coastal flood risk,
options for coastal resilience solutions, and timelines for implementation
in parts of East Boston and Charlestown’s coastlines. The study areas for
Phase II specifically includes East Boston’s coastline along Chelsea Creek,
Belle Isle Marsh, Orient Heights Railyard, Constitution Beach, and Wood
Island Marsh; and Charlestown’s coastline along the Navy Yard, Little
Mystic Channel, and Boston Autoport. The work builds on the first phase of
the study in both neighborhoods that was released in 2017 and is part of a
larger citywide effort to address climate change in Boston. The strategies
in this report will guide the development of coastal flood protection,
strengthen Boston’s work to become the greenest city in the country, and
improve the quality of life for residents and visitors. With the completion
of East Boston and Charlestown (Phase II), the City has developed
coastal resilience plans for all 47-miles of Boston’s coastline.
“Climate adaptation presents an opportunity
to create a resilient, climate-ready waterfront that advances priorities
for open space, mobility, affordable housing, social and racial equity, and
natural resource conservation,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This
report lays out a community-driven vision for Boston’s coastline to be
resilient, accessible, and protected.”
The plan evaluated coastal flood risk in the
communities and identified flood protection strategies that effectively
reduce flood risk. While other climate hazards, such as increased
precipitation and extreme heat, were considered throughout the planning
process, the plan focused specifically on how to respond to the effects of
coastal flooding from sea-level rise and storm surge, while providing
additional benefits for the community. The plan worked to identify
strategies that preserve the essential functions and historic character of
the East Boston and Charlestown waterfronts, while undoing the harm of
historic planning that unjustly placed certain communities at risk of
environmental hazards.
Coastal Resilience Solutions for East Boston
and Charlestown (Phase II) is a critical component of Climate Ready
Boston, the City’s
initiative to prepare for the near- and long-term effects of climate
change, such as sea level rise, coastal storms, extreme precipitation, and
extreme heat. The report is part of a series of coastal resilience planning
efforts and outlines a set of infrastructure projects that, when
implemented, will increase the protection of Boston’s waterfront from
sea-level rise and coastal flooding. The consultant team supporting the
project included Arcadis, Sasaki, Woods Hole Group, and ONE Architecture.
The Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH) was also on the team as a
community partner.
“East Boston and Charlestown are two of the
most vulnerable neighborhoods to flooding and sea-level rise due to climate
change,” said District 1 City Councilor Gabriela Coletta. “We
have to act with urgency to fortify our waterfront and deploy nature-based
solutions in order to protect the resiliency of our coastline and our
people. The completion of this report provides a necessary climate adaptation
framework that will keep our waterfront resilient, inclusive, and
accessible for future generations. I also applaud Mayor Wu and her team for
centering marginalized communities disproportionately affected by the
negative impacts of climate change.”
“Building climate resilient communities
requires an understanding of the deep impact climate change will have on
our neighborhoods,” said District 6 City Councilor Kendra Lara,
Chair of the Environmental Justice, Resiliency & Parks Committee.
“This project assesses the immediate concerns brought to our attention by
the Climate Ready Boston report and presents necessary long-term solutions.
This is a bold step toward protecting residents of Boston and promoting
environmental sustainability.”
Boston is already experiencing the effects
of climate change. Projections within the report found that Boston’s sea
level is likely to rise by 9 inches as soon as 2030 and 40 inches as soon
as 2070 if greenhouse gas emissions continue at their current pace. Coastal
flooding threatens places and services that are vital to East Boston and
Charlestown’s community safety and wellbeing, including homes and
businesses, evacuation routes, community centers, public parks, and natural
areas. By taking a people-centered approach to coastal resilience, the City
of Boston can prepare our residents and communities for sea level rise and
flooding in a way that addresses systemic inequities to support a thriving,
Green New Deal city.
“As temperatures rise, Boston will
experience significant changes to our coastline, including sea level rise,
flooding, and more intense and frequent storms,” said Reverend
Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space.
“Past decisions made by the public and private sector have led to increased
risks for environmental justice communities. The City is committed to doing
the work to support marginalized communities that are bearing a
disproportionate burden of negative climate impacts.”
Engagement with the East Boston and Charlestown
communities was central to the development of this plan. Throughout the
process, the City met with multiple City, State, and federal agencies,
private and institutional stakeholders, non-profit organizations,
community-based organizations, residents, neighborhood associations, and
the broader East Boston and Charlestown communities. Stakeholders helped
shape the development of coastal resilience solutions that have multiple
benefits for each community. The final report presents near- and long-term
solutions for the Phase II study area, with proposed projects such as
landscaped berms with opportunities for ecological restoration, elevating
segments of the Harborwalk, and raising roadways to protect critical
infrastructure.
"Residents in East Boston and Charlestown
are impacted by many environmental stressors that can stem from sea level
rise and coastal flooding,” said Magdalena Ayed, Founder &
Executive Director of the Boston Harborkeepers. “I am grateful to Mayor
Wu and the Climate Ready Boston team for taking steps to protect the
community from the impacts of climate change."
The critical actions laid out through this
coastal plan reinforce the Wu administration’s commitment to supporting
healthy communities and a thriving green economy. Previously, Mayor Wu
proposed her administration’s first budget which includes groundbreaking investments
in climate action to create a Green New Deal city. These investments, which
further key strategies identified in the plan, include $2.5
million for a new Climate Ready Streets program within Climate Ready Boston
to deliver on heat resilience, stormwater management, and air quality on
key transportation corridors, $20 million for a nation-leading pilot for
energy retrofits in triple deckers and other multi-family homes while
maintaining affordability, $2.5 million of ARPA funds to grow and preserve
our urban tree canopy, including an innovative pilot program on private
land, $2.5 million in electrifying school bus infrastructure, a $6 million
ARPA investment to scale Youth Green Jobs, and $137 million in capital
funding, plus operating investments, to create and protect parks, the tree
canopy, and open spaces in the city.
To celebrate the release of the Phase II
report, City staff and project team members will join the annual
Constitution Beach Maritime Festival in East Boston today, which is hosted
by The Harborkeepers in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and numerous
local organizations. This will be an opportunity to share information about
the planning process with the community. City staff and project team
members will also attend the August 18th Charlestown
Live Music at the Navy Yard (hosted by the National Park Service) from 6:30 to
8:00 p.m.
|
