BOSTON – Rep. Bill Straus (D-Mattapoisett) has announced that several area towns will share over $4.5 million in funding through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Planning and Action Grants program administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

In the largest of the local grants, $4.5 million will be awarded to The Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Resilience Project which will help protect over 240 acres in the towns of Mattapoisett, Acushnet, and Rochester as well as protecting the aquifer which will increase its resilience to climate change. The Mattapoisett River Valley provides drinking water to Mattapoisett, Acushnet, Rochester, Marion, and Fairhaven.

“Protecting our drinking water supplies that come from the shared aquifer around the Mattapoisett River has been a long-time effort of mine; I sponsored a number of pieces of legislation creating the district and providing it the financial resources for land acquisition and jurisdiction of the water supply within the aquifer” said Rep. Straus

Separately, the Town of Fairhaven will receive $40,000 in a grant for a climate change vulnerability assessment to evaluate coastal risks to municipal infrastructure and natural resources from exposure to sea level rise and coastal storms. This study will develop data on likely scenarios and degrees of potential impact in vulnerable areas which will assist in future adaptation planning and design.

Straus added, “Credit in any team effort like this goes to the Baker-Polito Administration for recognizing the value of the grant requests, and the local officials and volunteers who participate in the work of the area towns."