Baker-Polito Administration Announces Over $1 Million in Land Use Planning Assistance Grants

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Over $1 Million in Land Use Planning Assistance Grants

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $1,030,659 in grants for 31 projects to improve municipal land use planning and development through the second round of grants from the Planning Assistance Grant Program. Through this program, the Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) provides municipalities funding to undertake public processes and hire technical expertise to improve their land use practices, diversify housing choices, mitigate and prepare for climate change impacts, and conserve and develop land consistent with the Massachusetts Sustainable Development Principles. 

“Through smart and sustainable development, we can ensure Massachusetts remains an exceptional place to live and grow a business,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “As an important supplement to our Housing Choice Initiative, these grants help municipalities modify their plans and regulations to build more affordable housing, better protect natural resources, and reduce car travel.”

“The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to working in partnership with communities to provide residents across the Commonwealth good jobs, transit access, housing, and access to open space,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “We are proud to provide municipalities the funding and technical expertise to make smart land use decisions that are right for their communities and unique needs and challenges.”

The Planning Assistance Grant Program is part of an effort to encourage municipalities to implement land use regulations that are consistent with the Baker Administration’s land conservation and development objectives, including reduction of land, energy, and natural resource consumption, provision of sufficient and diverse housing, and mitigation of and preparation for climate change.  The program is also part of the technical assistance offered to communities in support of the Baker-Polito Administration’s Housing Choice Initiative.

“This program encourages communities to reduce their land, natural resource, and energy consumption through smart local development planning,” said EEA Secretary Matthew Beaton. “Helping municipalities improve their land use regulations will allow them to achieve their housing, economic development, climate change resiliency and environmental protection goals.”

The following are grant recipients:

2019 Planning Assistance Grants
Applicant	Municipality	Project	Total Grant Amount
Agawam	Agawam	Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance	$7,500
Ashland	Ashland	Rezone Downtown	$25,700
Barnstable	Barnstable	Rezone Downtown Hyannis	$50,000
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC)	Adams	Adams Stormwater Management Bylaw	$28,500
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC)	North Adams	Comprehensive Re-Write of the Zoning Ordinance	$50,000
Chelsea	Chelsea	Re-zoning for Admiral's Hill Neighborhood	$40,300
Central MA Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC)	Auburn	Design Guidelines	$34,040
Central MA Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC)	Westborough	Parking Study	$33,435
Central MA Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC)	Webster-Dudley	Economic Develpment Strategic Plans	$37,191
Easthampton	Easthampton	Downtown Strategic Plan	$50,000
Foxborough	Foxborough	Community Discussion + Housing Production Plan	$35,030
Franklin Regional Council of Governments	Franklin County	Sustainable Stormwater Management Plan for Franklin County	$40,000
Gloucester	Gloucester	Update Open Space and Recreation Plan	$28,790
Goshen	Goshen	Goshen Town Center Connectivity Plan	$10,000
Hull	Hull	Update Open Space and Recreation Plan	$26,680
Lynn	Lynn	Creation of Overlay Districts to Support Open Space and Economic Development	$50,000
Marblehead	Marblehead	Production of a  Housing Production Plan	$20,619
Martha's Vineyard Commission	Martha's Vineyard	Site Plans for Elderly Housing that address Nitrogen	$15,000
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)	Arlington, Natick and City of Melrose	Net Zero Energy Planning	$150,000
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC)	Amesbury, Andover, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Merrimac, Methuen, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury	Regional Housing Initiative	$50,000
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG)	Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Pepperell, Tyngsborough and Westford	Accessory Dwelling Unit zoning for all six communities	$30,000
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG)	Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Pepperell, Tyngsborough and Westford	Solar Zoning for all six communities	$30,000
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG)	Tyngsborough	Tree Retention Bylaw	$5,000
Peabody	Peabody	North River Corridor Chapter 40R Study	$22,500
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)	Springfield	Green Infrastructure (GI)/ Low Impact Development (LID) Policy	$9,128.75
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) & Town of Southampton	Southampton	Promoting a Low Impact Development Approach and New Stormwater Design Standards through Updates to Local Land Use Code	$10,900
Scituate	Scituate	Development of the Scituate Harbor Sustainability and Resiliency Master Plan and zoning amendments	$37,500
South Hadley	South Hadley	Preparation of a Master Plan for the Route 33-Route 202 corridor	$33,500
Walpole	Walpole	Produce Open Space and Recreation Plan	$28,400
Wareham	Wareham	Compact Development Plan for Littleton Drive Site	$32,500
Westminster	Westminster	Low Impact Development regulations to implement LID Bylaw	$8,445

 “My hometown of Ashland is in the process of an exciting, transformative downtown revitalization project, and this grant will help the town to implement its vision,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “As part of a multi-town collaboration, my community of Natick will also benefit as it implements its Net Zero Energy Planning efforts.  I am grateful for the partnership of Secretary Beaton and the Baker-Polito administration in recognizing the importance of developing sustainable communities.”

“Sound planning produces cost -effective, well-reasoned actions that take into account major factors such as climate resilience,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Yet planning takes money, and these grants will provide the investment it takes for our communities to get the job done.”

“I am very pleased that the Town of Wareham will be receiving this $32,500 Land Use Planning Grant for compact development planning,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton). “Efficient, integrated land use benefits the built and natural environment in our local communities.  These resources announced today will help give Wareham insight into the various factors at play and ultimately ensure sustainable growth for the future.  I’d like to thank and congratulate everyone who participated in the grant process.”

“Wareham's grant for $32,500 will go a long way toward exploring more housing options at this site for our senior citizens, something our town really needs,” said State Representative Susan Williams Gifford (R-Wareham). “These grants provide much needed financial resources so municipalities can make the best possible decisions based on their needs.”

“I am excited that Ashland is receiving a grant from the Planning Assistance Grant Program to help renovate its downtown,” said State Representative Jack Patrick Lewis (D-Framingham). “Ashland is a vibrant community in growth, and these funds will help to ensure that its downtown continues to thrive.”

“The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission continues to work toward providing accessible and affordable housing to all residents in the Merrimack Valley, and we are grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration for its support in this mission,” said State Representative Lenny Mirra (R-West Newbury). “This $50,000 grant will allow the MVPC to reduce land, energy, and natural resource consumption while achieving our housing and economic development goals.”

AG’S OFFICE AWARDS $1.6 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS PAY THEIR HEATING BILLS

AG’S OFFICE AWARDS $1.6 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS PAY THEIR HEATING BILLS

New Grant Program Provides Funding to Seven Organizations including the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council to Assist Households in Paying Monthly Gas Bills

            BOSTON – With winter approaching, Attorney General Maura Healey announced that her office has awarded $1.6 million in grant funding to seven organizations across the state to help Massachusetts consumers pay or lower their monthly heating bills.

            

            “Each winter, thousands of families across Massachusetts struggle to come up with the money to heat their homes,” AG Healey said. “This new grant program allows us to reach residents who aren’t already receiving assistance and provide them with financial support to stay warm during these cold months.”

            Today’s grantee announcement comes in the wake of the Sept. 13 gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley that left thousands of residents and businesses without gas service for heating, hot water and cooking. The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council is one of the seven organization receiving funding from the new grant program and will use the funds to assist residents in recovery.

“We are grateful on behalf of our clients to receive these resources, especially during these difficult times for the Greater Lawrence area,” said Evelyn Friedman, Executive Director of the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Inc. “The amount of the resources and their flexibility will allow us to help residents to weatherize their homes, replace old inefficient boilers and hot water heaters and help with fuel. All things sorely needed at this moment.”

            AG Healey’s new Natural Gas Fuel Assistance Grant Program has provided the funding to seven Massachusetts organizations that currently assist households in paying for their natural gas service. The program is utilizing funds the AG’s Office secured through a $3 million settlement earlier this year with National Grid. The remaining settlement money will be allocated through the grant program in the 2019-2020 winter season.

As the ratepayer advocate for Massachusetts, AG Healey works to ensure that consumers do not pay more than they should for their natural gas. In July 2017, AG Healey joined a coalition of 35 attorneys general and state consumer advocate agencies in urging Congress to preserve and expand funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), federally funded low-income energy assistance programs.

The AG’s Office has awarded funds from the Natural Gas Fuel Assistance Grant Program to the following organizations:

• Greater Lawrence Community Action Council Inc (GLCAC) (Lawrence, Methuen, Andover, North Andover, Wilmington, Reading and North Reading): GLCAC will provide funding to residents who qualified for the LIHEAP program, but would otherwise not receive financial assistance due to a lack of available money in the federal program, as well as residents who don’t qualify for the program but make less than 80 percent of the state median income. GLCAC will also provide funding to both groups of residents for weatherization efforts in their homes.
• City of Medford: The City will establish a new heating assistance program for residents with natural gas heating bills and fall between 60 percent and 80 percent of the median income in the state.
• The Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP) (statewide): MASSCAP will provide multiple organizations with additional funds to help natural gas customers participating in LIHEAP, as well as those who don’t qualify for the federal program but make less than 80 percent of the state median income.
• The Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts (Greater Worcester County, Central Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts):The organization will hire a full-time multilingual staff member to inform and educate local Asian and Arabic-speaking communities about the fuel assistance agencies in Greater Worcester, Central Massachusetts, and Western Massachusetts and the LIHEAP program to maximize participation rates among underserved populations.
• Society of Vincent de Paul District of Attleboro (Attleboro, North Attleboro, Seekonk, Rehoboth, Norton and Mansfield): The organization will provide funds to those in their communities who need assistance in paying their natural gas heating bills.
• Lend A Hand Society (Greater Boston): The organization will enhance their current programming to assist a greater number of families in the Greater Boston area with paying their natural gas heating bills.
• Springfield Partners for Community Action, Inc. (Hampden County):The organization will use the funds to build on its successful Emergency Fuel Assistance program that offers financial assistance to families struggling to pay their natural gas heating bills but do not qualify for LIHEAP.

VIRIDIAN ENERGY CUSTOMERS BEGIN RECEIVING REFUNDS FROM $5 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH AG’S OFFICE OVER DECEPTIVE MARKETING AND SALES TACTICS

VIRIDIAN ENERGY CUSTOMERS BEGIN RECEIVING REFUNDS FROM $5 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH AG’S OFFICE OVER DECEPTIVE MARKETING AND SALES TACTICS

Competitive Electricity Supplier Distributes Initial $1.8 Million to Customers During First Phase of Restitution Program

BOSTON — On the heels of her lawsuit against another competitive electricity supplier, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today that customers of the competitive electricity supplier, Viridian Energy, LLC, (Viridian), are beginning to receive restitution payments as part of a $5 million settlement reached with the AG’s Office over allegations of deceptive marketing and sales tactics that lured residents into costly contracts with high electricity rates.

The payments are part of an assurance of discontinuance the AG’s Office negotiated with Viridian and its affiliates in March 2018. The AG’s Office alleged that Viridian, through door-to-door sales, direct mail, and family-and-friend-based “network marketing,” engaged in various deceptive and unfair sales tactics. The AG’s Office also alleged that consumers who switched to Viridian ultimately paid more for electricity than if they had stayed with their utility.

“Competitive electric suppliers like Viridian Energy use aggressive sales tactics and false promises to cheat customers out of millions of dollars,” AG Healey said. “My office is seeking to ban these companies from signing up new customers and end this abuse of our residents.”

In March 2018, AG Healey issued the results of a report commissioned by her office that called for a ban on competitive electricity suppliers signing up new, individual residential customers in Massachusetts. The report found that Massachusetts residential electric customers who switched to a competitive electric supplier paid a total of $176.8 million more than if they had stayed with their utility company during a two-year period from July 2015 to June 2017. The report also found that during the study period competitive suppliers used aggressive sales tactics and appear to have targeted low-income, elderly, and minority residents.

Under the terms of the Viridian settlement, the company will return a total of $4.6 million to qualifying customers who were allegedly misled into signing costly contracts. The remainder of the $5 million settlement will go toward: offsetting the cost of the office’s investigation of Viridian; creating a new fund for future enforcement cases the office brings against competitive electric suppliers; and the state’s General Fund. Viridian, through an independent trustee appointed to manage the restitution program, began distributing checks to qualifying customers on Oct. 10 and will continue over three remaining phases. During the first phase of the program, approximately 20,000 Massachusetts customers will receive $1.8 million over three months.

Eligible customers who do not receive a payment during the first phase will receive payment in a future phase of the program. Customers qualify for restitution if they signed up for Viridian’s electricity supply services before May 1, 2018 and:

• Enrolled in a variable-rate contract with Viridian;
• Were automatically renewed from a Viridian fixed-rate contract to a Viridian variable rate contract;
• Enrolled in a contract through door-to-door sales company Platinum Advertising; and/or
• Enrolled in a fixed-rate contract with a three-year term during the period of September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2015. 

Viridian’s variable rate electricity contracts are also subject to a class action settlement reached in Sanborn et al. v. Viridian Energy, Inc. et al. in federal district court in Connecticut.  Customers who qualify for restitution under the AG’s settlement will receive restitution regardless of whether or not they participated in the class action.

To view a sample of the letter mailed out to customers who qualified for restitution click here.

The AG’s Office has returned millions of dollars to Massachusetts customers through its previous actions against competitive energy supplies. In January 2015, Just Energy agreed to pay $4 million in restitution to consumers for deceptive marketing and sales, entering consumers into agreements without their consent, and charging costly termination fees.

Last month, the AG’s Office sued Starion Energy for allegedly falsely promising consumers electricity rate reductions in unsolicited telemarketing calls and pre-recorded robocalls and then charging those consumers tens of millions of dollars more than they would have paid if they stayed with their utility company.

This case is handled by Assistant Attorneys General Elizabeth Anderson, Joseph Dorfler, Alexander Early, and Elizabeth Mahony, and Deputy Division Chief Nathan Forster, Division Chief Rebecca Tepper, and all of AG Healey’s Energy & Telecommunications Division, along with Energy and Environment Bureau Chief Melissa Hoffer.