Healey 等22名州長聯名請最高法院在安全墮胎藥上尊重FDA

 Governor Healey, 21 Other Governors Urge Supreme Court to Respect Longstanding FDA Authority & Access to Safe Abortion Medication   

BOSTON – Today, Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey and 21 Governors who make up the Reproductive Freedom Alliance filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court in the case of Food and Drug Administration, et al., v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. The Governors argue that, if the Court allows a recent Fifth Circuit decision to stand, it could undermine their ability to provide adequate health care services in their states and would have far-reaching implications beyond reproductive health care.   

“Mifepristone has been used safely for more than two decades and is the gold standard in medication abortion,” said Governor Healey. “We have taken steps to ensure it remains safe, legal and available in Massachusetts, but it is essential that the Supreme Court rejects this attack on women's health and freedom."   

Mifepristone is a safe, highly effective, and widely used medication prescribed for medication abortions and miscarriage management – used in well over half of all abortions. This medication is a critical component of the reproductive healthcare system in states where abortion remains legal. Any rollback on access to mifepristone would cause major disruptions to state healthcare systems, further strain providers,and pose serious health risks to millions of women. Ideological extremists shouldn’t be allowed to overrule medical experts and decades of scientific evidence by curtailing access to safe, effective medication.   

Furthermore, this lawsuit threatens to upend the federal FDA review process – a time-tested gold standard for rigor and risk mitigation – that Governors rely on to protect the health and well-being of their constituents. If the Court allows this decision to stand, there will be severe consequences for patient access to a wide range of safe and effective medications.   

The brief argues:   

“...[Governors] rely on the expertise of FDA to determine the safety and effectiveness of drugs and medical devices, including particular indications and conditions for use…Nothing about this framework contemplates a single out-of-state litigant who morally disapproves of a particular drug using out-of-state federal courts to invalidate FDA’s expert judgment nationwide…This strategy, if successful, would have an enormously disruptive impact on state governance and hamstring Governors’ ability to fulfill their mandate of protecting public health and safety—in the reproductive healthcare context and beyond.”  

A link to the full amicus brief can be found here. 

Last year, in response to the Fifth Circuit decision, Governor Healey took immediate action to protect access to mifepristone in Massachusetts. At her request, the University of Massachusetts and health

care providers took action to stockpile doses of mifepristone, and she issued an Executive Order confirming protections for medication abortion under existing state law. 

The Reproductive Freedom Alliance is a non-partisan coalition of 22 Governors committed to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom in our states. Members include: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Delaware Governor John Carney, Guam Governor Leon Guerrero, Hawai'i Governor Josh Green, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.  

吳弭市長指派 Tania Del Rio 出任 ISD 局長

MAYOR MICHELLE WU APPOINTS TANIA DEL RIO COMMISSIONER OF THE INSPECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT Current Commissioner Sean Lydon will remain with the City as Senior Advisor For Construction; Brian Foran and Michaela Nee of the Coordinated Response Team will be named Acting Co-Directors

BOSTON - Tuesday, January 30, 2024 - Mayor Michelle Wu today appointed Tania Del Rio as Commissioner of the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) starting February 26, 2024. ISD administers and enforces building, housing, health, sanitation and safety regulations mandated by city and state governments. Inspectional Services is made up of five regulatory divisions charged with serving the public by protecting the health, safety, and environmental stability of Boston's business and residential communities. Del Rio currently serves as the Director of the Coordinated Response Team for the City of Boston, leading the cross-departmental effort to address the intersecting crises of homelessness and substance use disorder. Del Rio will be the first woman to be ISD’s Commissioner.  “I am so grateful to Tania for her effective and compassionate leadership coordinating our efforts to address the urgent needs of the crises of homelessness and substance use disorder,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “With her ability to strategically lead multiple teams and deliver continuous improvement for our residents and City workers, I am excited to see her lead the agencies that deliver essential services impacting so many residents, businesses, and workers. I am grateful for Sean Lydon’s service leading the department to ensure our residential buildings and businesses are healthy and safe places for our communities.” As the head of the Coordinated Response Team, she brought together over a dozen City departments and partner agencies to transform how the City cares for unsheltered constituents impacted by substance use disorder, homelessness, and untreated mental illness, with a focus on the ‘Mass and Cass’ / Newmarket neighborhood. In 2023, she coordinated the work that helped over 100 unsheltered people transition from a large encampment into safe and supportive settings.  Mayor Wu also announced that Brian Foran and Michaela Nee of the Coordinated Response Team will be named Acting Co-Directors. Both have extensive experience managing the City’s work on unsheltered homelessness and working with City Departments and external partners. Foran and Nee helped lead the recent phase change that ended the permanent encampment on Atkinson Street under Del Rio’s leadership.  “The responsibility of the Inspectional Services Department is to deliver core, essential City services to our residents, guaranteeing that the places they eat, shop, and stay are healthy and safe,” said Tania Del Rio, incoming Commissioner of the Inspectional Services Department. “I am so thrilled for this opportunity, and grateful for the honor of having worked with the many selfless teams serving our residents in need of substance use, mental health, and housing support. Together, they have helped countless residents embark on a path to stability and recovery. I have great confidence that Michaela and Brian can continue to move this work forward and I’m excited to get to work at ISD.” Del Rio will be responsible for carrying out several of the Mayor’s priorities including expanding the Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU) program, executing the conversion of commercial buildings to residential buildings, streamlining and fast tracking permitting for small businesses and homeowners, and improving quality of life for residents by enhancing basic City services. She has a B.A. from New York University and a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. Del Rio is a BPS mother, a Latina immigrant, and a proven leader.  As the former Executive Director of Boston’s Office of Women’s Advancement and YWCA Cambridge, she has a track record of providing transformative leadership by fostering innovation, promoting strong organizational culture, responsible financial stewardship, and sharp strategic planning. Her work includes launching Boston’s Childcare Entrepreneur Fund, which continues to provide crucial support to the city’s childcare workers.  Del Rio is a proud resident of East Boston and an involved community leader. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially her two children, and staying active by surfing, swimming, and running. Sean Lydon will remain with the City as Senior Advisor For Construction. In this role, he will assist in managing high priority projects under construction, including White Stadium, the stabilization of the buildings a part of the Long Island recovery campus, coastal resilience, and emergency projects. He will also provide guidance on permitting, particularly assisting with navigating the permit process for high priority projects under construction. This includes pre-construction, construction, and construction close out phases, with guidance on permitting strategy and execution to ensure timely delivery and cost effectiveness. “I am so grateful to both Tania and Sean for their leadership in taking on these new roles to carry out Mayor Wu’s vision for a Boston with exceptional basic city services that residents can rely on,” said Chief of Operations Dion Irish. “With Tania’s experience effectively coordinating a cross-departmental team, I am confident in her ability to lead ISD, enhancing the core services our residents’ need and deserve. And I am so thankful to Sean for continuing to serve our residents in this new role, ensuring we deliver on major projects efficiently and thoroughly across our city.” The mission of the Inspectional Services Department is to serve the public by protecting the health and safety of Boston’s businesses and residential communities. The Department consistently aims to fairly administer public health, safety, land use and environmental regulations throughout the City of Boston. The Department will continue to utilize resources to promote the quality of life in Boston through education, enforcement and providing emergency services.

何瑞恩: 台灣總統大選結果見證民主制度成熟 選民盼黨派制衡維持現狀

講座主持人傅仕卓(右)和講者何瑞恩(左)。(周菊子攝)

                (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)台灣的民喊話，形容得像生死存亡選擇，布魯金斯 (Brookings) 研究院的何瑞恩 (Ryan Hass) 卻分析，台灣人就只把它當場選舉，中美台都傾向維持台灣穩定。

波士頓經文處處長廖朝宏(左二)、教育組組長黃薳玉右一)，外交部
陳艾芸副領事(左一)和講座主持人傅仕卓(右二)和講者何瑞恩(中)。(周菊子攝)

               在波士頓大學亞洲研究中心於1月25日舉辦，以「台灣2024選舉: 何瑞恩的選後分析 (Taiwan Elections 2024: A Post-Elections Analysis with Ryan Hass)」為主題，由波士頓大學Pardee全球研究學院國際關係教授傅仕卓 (Joe Fewsmith)主持的台灣論壇講座中，布魯金斯ˇ研究院約翰桑頓 (John L. Thomton) 中國研究中心主任何瑞恩畫龍點睛地闡述了他的看法，包括1月13日的台灣選舉都發生了甚麼，以及這場選舉告訴大家的未來方向。

講座主持人傅仕卓(左)和講者何瑞恩(左)談起歷史中的蒙古問題。
(周菊子攝)

               何瑞恩先說明在台灣的選舉制度中，選民們今年有3票，總統，政黨及立委，各一票。他指出，這很重要，因為這制度從立法院的113席中，保留34席給政黨。選舉結果是國民黨得52席，民進黨51席，民眾黨8席，沒有任何一黨有57席的過半數。何瑞恩認為這告訴了人們，台灣選民多務實，確保了國家的黨派分立，3黨必須協商，才能做成任何決定。當選總統的賴清德在選後也承認三黨分立的現實，承諾將聆聽其他黨派的聲音。

                                   何瑞恩認為，台灣選舉結果是健康的民主範例，呈現了人民意志，若放大到中美台三方關係來看，未來一年會動盪不安，但可管控，三方領導人都有很強的意識要避免發生任何戲劇性情況，基本上都希望維持現狀 。

何瑞恩指賴清德也知道自己只拿到40%選票。(周菊子攝)

                            何瑞恩認為，台灣選舉結果是健康的民主範例，呈現了人民意志，若放大到中美台三方關係來看，未來一年會動盪不安，但可管控，三方領導人都有很強的意識要避免發生任何戲劇性情況，基本上都希望維持現狀。

波士頓經文處處長廖朝宏問台灣海峽如何維持穩定。(周菊子攝)

            在何瑞恩看來，蔡英文冷靜，聰慧，賴清德活力充沛，積極參與，2人儘管風格不同，在營運政府上面對的限制卻相似，由於賴清德在立法院沒有多數席位的支持，要做事必須妥協，也就逼使他得向中間靠攏，妥協的認可台灣人民維持台灣現狀的意願。

波士頓大學亞洲中心主任Robert Hefner感謝教育部與該校簽署了
又一個五年合作合約。(周菊子攝)

               未來一年，習近平當然還是會繼續以武力威脅台灣，以心理壓力來磨耗台灣人民意志，但也會同時積極維繫美國關係；賴清德則會很忙碌，要爭取信任，向各界證實，他能夠勝認維持台灣穩定這任務；美國總統拜登目前最關切的則是如何打敗川普，贏得2024年大選。換言之，中美台都希望維持台灣現狀。

               在分析台灣的選舉結果時，何瑞恩說，這次選舉顯示台灣的民主制度運作得有多好。井然有序地進行、落幕，彰顯台灣選民成熟，根本不把這次選舉當成是轉捩點，或歷史時刻，也沒人把這次的選舉真當成是在戰爭與和平，或民主與獨裁之間做選擇。投票站出口的統計調查也顯示，選民們在很多重要事情上，基本想法很一致，想要維持現狀，。想要領導為他們爭取迎來不易的自由，希望政府為青少年提供更多機會。

               在何瑞恩看來，3名總統參選人都很清楚選民的想法，還都強調自己能維持現狀，會做得比另一個參選人更好，而且雖然這3人各有不同之處，但都同意要加強經濟實力、多元化台灣的經濟關係，辦好教育，擴大醫療健保等。34%的選民認為經濟是下一屆總統該處理的最重要問題，其次是兩岸關係約18%，然後是教育，排第3。

               這次選舉和前兩次政黨輪替時的不一樣之處是，前兩次都是因為在位者失去民心。2008年時，人民覺得陳水扁太過激進，想要中庸，所以迎來馬英九，2016年時，人民認為馬英九和中國太親近，想要恢復中立，於是票投蔡英文。但是2024的選舉，卻不是關於蔡英文一個人，於是容許了賴清德贏得40%選票。

               賴清德知道自己只得了40%的選票，是歷來最低的得票率。雖然有60%的選民沒支持賴清德當總統，但是那60%分別給了另外兩黨，因此讓賴清德僅以40%的得票率就贏得了選舉，但另一個原因是蔡英文的全力支持。民進黨在投票前推出的「上路了」宣傳片，蔡英文在片中把車鑰匙交給賴清德，很象徵性地說了，以後這就是你的了。

               在講座討論環節，主持人傅仕卓提出，他記得歷史記載中有1945年，蔣介石要和蘇聯簽署中蘇協議，蒙古交給蘇聯，時任外交部長的宋子文因而辭職，拒絕簽署割讓中國領土的協議。他認為中國大陸或習近平對台灣的態度，也一樣如此嚴肅。

               傅仕卓也問到柯文哲現象。何瑞恩指出，一來柯文哲的言行和一般政治人物都不一樣，二來現年25歲以下的年輕人，可以說是在民進黨執政的環境中長大的，希望有所變革，所以選擇了柯文哲。在這次選舉中的另一不可忽視人物是馬英九，在選舉前數日他接受媒體採訪時直白的說，台灣一定打不過中國大陸，大家應該要相信習近平，導致選前的最後催票，沒人邀請他站台。何瑞恩表示，這基本上等於台灣人民告訴習近平，不接受一國兩制。

               波士頓經文處長廖朝宏在座中也問了一個問題。他指出，這問題何瑞恩也曾撰文談及，就是兩岸關係該如何維持穩定，和平。何瑞恩坦言，這是個很難回答的問題，可以從3方面談，一是中國大陸希望把中台問題縮為內部議題，不要國際關注，但是台灣問題世界都灌注，尤其是台灣的經濟，以及某些產業在世界上已經有著舉足輕重地位。二是台灣必須儘量忍氣吞聲，同時非常有選擇性的動用資源，創新思考，充分利用先進科技，包括無人機等等，遏止北京進犯意圖，讓北京計算後為動武可能造成的後果而忌憚，最後是不要挑釁的讓中國領導人覺得別無選擇。

               波士頓大學亞洲中心主任Robert Hefner表示，該中心將於3月28日舉辦下一場講座，題目為「台灣海峽戰略與環境」。

麻州地擬推低收入票價 即日起接受公眾置評

Making Transit More Affordable: MBTA Proposes Low-Income Fare Program to Benefit Riders in 170+ Communities, Public Comment Now Open

  

Proposed fare changes would also make the $10 Weekend Commuter Rail Pass permanently expanded to include holidays and eliminate change tickets.  

 

Learn more at mbta.com/2024FareChanges.  

  

BOSTON – The MBTA today announced several fare change proposals that aim to improve equity, increase ridership, and simplify fare rules, including the introduction of a reduced fare program for riders with low income, which would provide discounted fares to make public transportation affordable for those who need it most. Building upon the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s FY24 budget that includes $5 million for the MBTA to develop a low-income fares program, the new program would provide riders who are aged 26-64, non-disabled, and have low income with reduced fares of approximately 50% off on all MBTA modes. Program participants will demonstrate eligibility via existing enrollment in programs with a cutoff of 200% of the federal poverty line (or lower). This exciting new program would apply on the Commuter Rail, unlocking affordability for residents along those corridors and in the Gateway Cities, and would apply to the MBTA paratransit customers on the RIDE, cutting the price for ADA trips in half for eligible riders.

 

“We are incredibly excited about this program, which will make a difference in the lives of residents across the state and provide greater affordability, opportunity, and access to all MBTA service for residents as they travel throughout the week,” said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “This underscores the bold vision and commitment of the Healey-Driscoll Administration to deliver equitable, reliable, and resilient transportation in a big way.”

 

“I’m thankful for the Governor and Legislature for the funding that allowed us to develop this proposed new reduced fare eligibility for riders with low income. As we rebuild and restore MBTA service, we are also focused on making fares more affordable, improving quality of life, boosting economic mobility across the entire MBTA service area, and encouraging more riders to return to the system following the pandemic,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “As we offer these proposed fare changes for consideration, ensuring robust public engagement is imperative, and I hope riders will join the T at any of the eight upcoming public meetings to share their thoughts on these proposals. We welcome the public’s feedback.”

 

If approved by the MBTA Board of Directors, these fare changes would go into effect in spring and summer 2024.

 

The MBTA estimates the cost of the program to be approximately $52-62 million (including administrative costs, operating costs to meet induced demand, and fare revenue loss). According to prior research, riders with low income would be expected to take 30% more trips with a reduced fare, significantly increasing mobility while saving on transportation costs. More than 60,000 riders are expected to qualify for and enroll in the program, which is expected to result in 7 million more trips per year.

 

The MBTA welcomes public comment on these proposals at eight public meetings to be held in January and February 2024. More information on each public meeting is available at mbta.com/events. The public is also welcome to submit comments online through Thursday, February 29, 2024, or by email to publicengagement@mbta.com. 

 

The proposed program for riders with low income is a multi-secretariat effort with the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). Existing MBTA reduced fare programs already provide support to students, seniors, riders with disabilities, and young people aged 18-25 with low income. These programs provide half-priced fares and passes on all modes (excluding the RIDE). 

 

To make the program further accessible throughout Massachusetts communities, the MBTA will partner with third-party Community-Based Partners to manage in-person customer service and eligibility verification. These efforts include providing physical in-person locations where people can receive support with their applications and offering additional support whenever automatic systems are unable to successfully process applications. A Request for Proposals to select one or more Community-Based Partners was released yesterday, January 24.  

 

Two additional proposed fare changes include: 

  

·       Replacing “Change Tickets” with CharlieCards: The issuance of paper CharlieTickets with stored value as change (a “Change Ticket”) will be phased out. This is due to limitations in the fare collection technology. Riders are encouraged to load stored value on plastic CharlieCards. 

·       Permanently expanding the $10 Weekend Commuter Rail Pass to include federal holidays: The $10 Weekend Commuter Rail Pass would include federal holidays. This pass allows for unlimited Commuter Rail trips on all three days of federal holiday weekends. For federal holidays that are observed mid-week, passengers can purchase a $10 Holiday Pass for that day. 

The Title VI analysis, which assesses whether a proposed transportation project or service will have a disparate impact on minority populations or a disproportionate burden on low-income populations, will be shared with the MBTA Board of Directors and posted to mbta.com prior to the scheduled March 2024 Board meeting. This analysis is required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for all projects that receive federal funding. 

波士頓市公衛局設立 25萬元「支援用藥過量家庭基金」

MAYOR WU AND THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION ANNOUNCE THE ‘FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND’ TO ASSIST FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES TO OVERDOSE  The fund is supported by City distributions from national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, informed by a community engagement process

BOSTON - Friday, January 26, 2024 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) today announced the creation of the “Family Overdose Support Fund,” a new fund that will provide financial support to Boston families who have lost a loved one to opioid overdose. The fund is the first use of the City’s payments from multistate settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, and was  established after an extensive community engagement process that invited residents to inform how the money should be spent.     “The grief and trauma of losing a loved one to overdose has a lasting impact on our communities,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This fund will help support our families and our communities by easing the financial burdens that undermine a healthy grieving process. I want to thank everyone who participated in our public engagement process and our many state and city colleagues who worked for years to secure these funds and bring a measure of justice to families in Boston and across the country.”  “The opioid epidemic has taken the lives of many loved ones throughout Boston’s communities. Children have lost parents. Parents have lost sons and daughters. Families have suffered an enormous emotional toll and are also shouldering a significant financial burden,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “The Family Overdose Support Fund will alleviate some of that burden by providing direct financial assistance to support childcare, funeral expenses, and other services to those who have been impacted by this ongoing tragedy.”       The Family Overdose Support Fund will launch later this year with $250,000 to distribute to Boston families who have experienced the loss of a family member due to opioid overdose. Families can use the funds to cover funeral expenses, therapy, legal services, childcare, and other financial burdens.     This will be one of several investments from Boston’s share of the State’s opioid settlements. Boston will incrementally receive at least $22 million through 2038. This announcement marks a new chapter in years of litigation, including a suit brought by the City of Boston against drug makers and opioid distributors for fueling the opioid epidemic. From July 2021 through December 2022, then-Attorney General Maura Healey announced four settlements that will provide almost a billion dollars to Massachusetts over 18 years. A portion of those funds gets distributed across the Commonwealth to cities and towns for prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.  In Boston, BPHC conducted an extensive and equitable community engagement process, asking those impacted by overdose to inform how the funds should be spent. Throughout the summer of 2023, more than 600 people participated through community and provider listening sessions, surveys, and long-form responses. A majority of respondents wanted to prioritize the needs of grieving families by providing direct financial support. Respondents also expressed strong interest in housing support and low threshold housing for people with substance use disorder, community-based equity initiatives to address substance use, overdose prevention and prevention centers, and youth prevention. The full report is now released and can be found here.   BPHC is hiring an opioid settlement project director to implement and oversee the Family Overdose Support Fund and other settlement investments. Additional investments will include low threshold housing and community grants, and ongoing community engagement will continue to inform the funding process over the settlement period.      For more information on the city’s opioid remediation settlement funds, visit boston.gov/opioid-settlements.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $365K in Grants to Support Biodiversity & Habitat Resiliency

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $365K in Grants to Support Biodiversity & Habitat Resiliency  

 

The MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program provides crucial support to partners to steward biodiversity, enhance climate resiliency, and promote outdoor recreation. 

  

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $365,000 to restore 234 acres of wildlife habitat across Massachusetts. The Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is awarding MassWildlife Habitat Management grants to five organizations and two municipalities. The MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP), provides crucial financial assistance to private and municipal owners of conserved lands to improve habitat for wildlife, steward biodiversity, enhance climate resiliency, and promote public recreational opportunities. Since 2015, MassWildlife has funded 112 projects that have restored over four thousand acres of natural habitat. 

 

“Partnership and collaboration will be essential for meeting our ambitious biodiversity and climate goals. Most forests and other wildlife habitats in Massachusetts are not state-owned, and we rely on conservation organizations, cities and towns, private landowners, and other partners to greatly expand our impact,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “This program provides us with the unique opportunity to not only directly benefit threatened species, but also create new outdoor recreation opportunities and support the sporting community.” 

  

While MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made substantial investments in land conservation within Massachusetts, many essential habitats are degraded, and vulnerable species face increasing threats from climate change. To address these challenges, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is investing in habitat management efforts on state wildlife lands and, through MHMGP, on all conserved lands across the state alongside private and municipal partners. Habitat restoration and management activities will create healthy, resilient landscapes that support a variety of species, particularly those of greatest conservation need. 

    

“MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program builds on success of ongoing efforts to advance our mission of preserving the great diversity and abundance of wildlife, plants, and habitats in Massachusetts,” said Mark S. Tisa, MassWildlife Director. “Public and private investment in habitat management is critical for promoting ecological resiliency and biodiversity, and we are thrilled to work with this year’s grant recipients as they commit to improving landscapes for people and nature.”  

 

The following seven projects will receive MassWildlife Habitat Management Grants: 

  

· Falmouth – The Town of Falmouth has been awarded $70,000 to improve sandplain grasslands by removing invasive vines, woody shrubs, plants, and trees. This project will also improve the connectivity of these parcels to upland forest habitats at Coonamessett Reservation, which will expand and improve rare species habitat. 
 

· Great Barrington – The Berkshire Natural Resources Council has been awarded $28,930 to treat invasive plant species on Housatonic River floodplain forest and a wooded oxbow at the Rising Pond Conservation Area. 

 

· Kingston – The Town of Kingston has been awarded $23,765 to treat the invasive aquatic plant species, variable‐leaved milfoil, at Smelt Pond. This aggressive non-native species outcompetes native aquatic species and reduces water quality.  

 

· Nantucket – The Nantucket Conservation Foundation has been awarded $75,000 to help protect pitch pine barren habitat at Ram Pasture. This funding will cover the removal, chipping, and safe disposal of southern pine beetle infected pitch pine.  

 

· Nantucket – The Nantucket Island Land Bank has been awarded $74,700 to help restore pine barrens at Gardner Farm. Areas of dense pitch pine forest that are most susceptible to southern pine beetle outbreaks will be thinned to promote site resiliency and a heathland / sandplain-grassland understory, both of which are beneficial to numerous rare moths and butterflies.  

 

· South Lee – South Lee Associates has been awarded $17,990 to treat invasive species along the Housatonic River to improve floodplain forest and early successional grasslands that are being overgrown with woody species. 

  

· Tisbury – The Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation has been awarded $75,000 to manage southern pine beetle-infested pitch pine and pitch pine/oak forest at Phillips Preserve. This expansion of a sanitation harvest is aimed at combating the spread of southern pine beetle, a southern species that has been expanding its range north, threatening our pitch pine forests. 

 

“Through active habitat management, we are not only protecting our diverse ecosystem but also addressing the ever-more present challenges posed by climate change. The Cape and South Shore, known for their unique ecological landscape, are committed to prioritizing the conservation of our precious natural resources. I’m grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their support,” said State Senator Susan Moran (D-Plymouth, Barnstable).  

 

“Protecting habitat on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard is key to ensuring local wildlife survives and thrives for many years to come,” said State Senator Julian Cyr (D-Cape and Islands). “I am grateful the Healey-Driscoll Administration has invested in habitat management on the islands with a combined $150,000 in grants to Nantucket and Tisbury to restore and manage forests. Environmental stewardship is critical to maintaining a healthy and sustainable natural world.” 

 

"I am thrilled to see this $220,000 boost for organizations on the Cape and Islands that are protecting and restoring our precious natural resources. These projects are not just for wildlife – they're an investment in the future of our communities and the well-being of everyone who cherishes our natural spaces," said State Representative Dylan Fernandes (D-Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket). 

 

"I am thrilled to see the Town of Kingston receive a grant to help restore balance and a natural order to Smelt Pond. Local wildlife is so important to the local culture and history and it is critical that we invest in protecting and conserving its natural habitat,” said State Representative Kathleen LaNatra (D-Plymouth). “Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and MassWildlife for this excellent investment into Kingston's local biodiversity." 

 

For more information regarding MassWildlife Habitat Management Grants, please visit the program’s webpage.