Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $2.7
Million for Land and Drinking Water Supply Protection Projects
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito
Administration today awarded $2,765,295 in grant funding through the Drinking
Water Supply Protection, Landscape Partnership, and Conservation Partnership
Grant Programs. These three grant programs, administered through the
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), will help five
municipalities protect land for drinking water supply purposes, seven
non-profit land trusts conserve land for open space and outdoor recreation, and
the Berkshire Natural Resources Council in partnership with the Departments of
Conservation and Recreation and Fish and Game complete the Mt. Hunger
Conservation Project.
“Investing in these
important projects will make our communities more resilient to climate change,
protect critical drinking water supplies, and ensure communities benefit from
access to open space,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our
Administration is proud to assist communities and land trusts in acquiring land
that will provide residents with clean drinking water, as well as beautiful
places to recreate with friends and family.”
“Increasing access to
open space natural resources throughout the Commonwealth has grown in
importance since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “These grant programs play an important
role in ensuring that Massachusetts families have access to clean drinking
water, as well as invaluable recreational opportunities where they can spend
time together outdoors safely.”
Through the Conservation
Partnership Grant Program, $489,825 was awarded to seven Massachusetts
non-profit organizations. The funding will be used to help land trusts protect
land for future generations for conservation and outdoor recreation purposes.
Additionally, $1,025,470 was awarded to five Massachusetts municipalities
through the Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program. Since 2004, the
program has been funding municipal and public water systems and fire districts’
acquisition of land in fee or a conservation restriction for drinking water
supply protection. Finally, $1,250,000 was awarded to the Mt. Hunger
Conservation Project to protect 836 acres in Monterey and Tyringham. This
joint effort involving the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, the Department
of Conservation and Recreation, and the Department of Fish and Game will expand
public access for passive recreation including hunting and add to a connected
conservation corridor of over 14,000 acres, achieving a key strategy to build
climate resilience.
Recognizing the importance
of these types of investment, the Baker-Polito Administration has proposed in
its Forward Bill that
federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding be utilized to augment capital
funds. Proposed spending currently before the legislature specifically related
to the grants announced today includes $232 million for park and trail assets,
$64 million for clean water projects, and $4 million for open space
acquisition.
“Land conservation and
protection measures provide the Commonwealth with many benefits, such as
safeguarding critical drinking water supplies, providing access to the natural
world, increasing resiliency to climate change, and ensuring important habitat
is protected.” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth
Card. “The Baker-Polito Administration is proud to partner with
municipalities, non-profit organizations, and other stakeholders to protect
these lands, which will positively impact the public for generations to come.”
Conservation Partnership
Grant Program awardees are:
· Buzzards Bay Coalition -
Headwaters Bog Conservation Project: $85,000to protect ecological and water
resources, enable natural wetland habitat restoration, provide public access
for outdoor passive recreation, enlarge a block of contiguous protected open
space, and protect scenic view access.
· Dennis Conservation Land
Trust - White Cedar Conservation Project: $51,325 to conserve upland pitch
pine-oak forest with BioMap2 Critical Natural Landscape. The purchase
will protect the habitat of deer, rabbits, coyotes, fishers, turkeys, raptors,
and songbirds.
· East Quabbin Land Trust -
Finn Woodland Acquisition: $13,500 to protect a part of the Dougal Range, identified
as an Important Bird Area by Mass Audubon.
· Essex County Greenbelt
Association - Tompson Street Church Lot: $85,000 to purchase a substantial
addition to the 320-acre Tompson Street Reservation and protect several
existing trailheads and part of the larger trail network.
· Harwich Conservation
Trust - Robbins Pond Preservation Project: $85,000 to protect the watershed
recharge area for Robbins Pond and the Herring River and important wildlife
habitat for threatened species.
· Mattapoisett Land Trust -
Alves Riverfront Conservation Project: $85,000 to protect 4.3 acres with 800 feet
of riverfront along the tidal portion of the Mattapoisett River.
· Wellfleet Conservation
Trust - High Toss Conservation Project: $85,000 for protection of estimated and
priority habitats of rare species, critical natural landscape, and shorebird
and migratory bird
habitat.
Drinking Water Supply
Protection Grant Program awardees are:
· Town of Yarmouth –
Higgins Crowell Road Project: $300,000 to purchase ten parcels for a
total of 9.66 acres adjacent to a 107-acre parcel owned by the town for well
and drinking water supply protection.
· Fitchburg Division of
Water Supply – Kerlinger Conservation Restriction Project: $140,370 grant
award to preserve a 49.43-acre parcel that will extend protection for
Fitchburg’s watershed lands and will serve to extend established recreational
trails on adjacent land.
· Fall River Department of
Community Utilities – Copicut Reservoir Watershed Protection Project: $121,750 grant
award to acquire 16 acres of woodland to provide an additional buffer to the
Copicut Reservoir.
· Southampton Water
Commission – Pomeroy Meadow Protection Project: $213,350 grant award to
preserve 76 acres of forested land to protect the town’s critical drinking
water source. This project will also serve as a catalyst for preserving
adjacent land.
· City of Haverhill –
Meserve Woods Conservation Restriction Project: $250,000 grant award to
preserve 54 acres of critical watershed land near Crystal Lake Reservoir,
Haverhill’s primary drinking water system.
The Landscape Partnership
Grant Program Awardee is:
· Berkshire Natural Resources
Council in partnership with the Departments of Conservation and Recreation
and Fish and Game: $1,250,000 to conserve 836 acres in Monterey and Tyringham
thus preserving the opportunity for continued forest management, expanding
public access for passive recreation, and building climate resilience by adding
to a connected conservation corridor of over 14,000 acres.
“Drinking water and
preserved open spaces are essential elements to our quality of life in
Massachusetts, yet we cannot take them for granted. Careful planning and
strategic investment are critical to both, and through these grants, the
Baker-Polito Administration is proving once again its commitment to our
environment,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R- Gloucester). “Congratulations
and thank you to Essex County Greenbelt and the other recipients for their
leadership in providing the kind of stewardship these resources need and
deserve.”
“The grant awarded to
Berkshire Natural Resources Council will have both an immediate and long-term
impact on our beautiful natural assets here in the Berkshires,” said
Representative Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox). “I’m grateful to Governor
Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito for making this investment to keep our
open spaces accessible for anyone who wishes to enjoy them, putting measures in
place for resiliency, and continuing to protect and preserve our environmental
resources.”
“It is critical that we
protect this beautiful land and water source for the present and future
residents of Haverhill,” said Representative Andy X. Vargas
(D-Haverhill). “In partnership with our colleagues in the legislature
and the Administration, I’m grateful that this funding has been authorized and
approved for our community. This would not have been possible without the
diligent work of Greenbelt, the Haverhill Water and Conservation Departments,
Mayor Fiorentini and the very generous donation of land from the Meserve
family.”
“Our Commonwealth continues
to lead on initiatives to preserve our drinking water supply – from action on
combined sewer overflows to PFAS to watershed protection,” said
Representative Linda Dean Campbell (D-Methuen). “Water quality is a
major priority in the Merrimack Valley, and this grant for the City of
Haverhill will go a long way toward protecting our natural resources and our
drinking water.”
“Protecting land and
drinking water supply is of critical importance to the health of the
environment and our residents. Congratulations to the City of Haverhill for
securing $250,000 for the Meserve Woods Conservation Restriction project, a key
step in protecting water resources for the City,” said Representative
Christina Minicucci (D-North Andover). “I am thankful for the
partnership of EEA and the Baker-Polito Administration in acknowledging the
importance of protecting our natural resource areas and in providing this grant
funding for the preservation of these areas.”
For
more information regarding the Conservation Partnership Grant Program, Drinking Water
Supply Protection Grant Program, and the
Landscape Partnership Grant Program, please visit
the program’s webpages
