Politics & Government

Gov's Climate Change Plan Includes $50M For Backup Power, Seawalls

Gov. Deval Patrick announced a multi-part plan to address "current and future" impacts from climate change on the Bay State.

By Chris Helms

On Tuesday Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled a plan to protect the Bay State from the increased storms and sea-level rise expected from climate change.

The plan has many parts, but among them is $40 million for towns and cities to protect their energy services, according to a press release.  That includes buying "green" backup power systems that rely on solar and advanced battery storage schemes.

Another $10 million will go toward seawalls, dam repair and other methods of mitigating coastal damage, the press release said.

"We have a generational responsibility to address the current and future impacts of climate change in Massachusetts," the governor broadcast on his Twitter account during a press conference about the plan.

The governor is having the Department of Transportation to examine their facilities statewide and come up with a "climate adaptation plan" by 2015.

Patrick also promised help to local health boards combating a rise in vector-borne diseases in mosquitoes and oysters.

Do you think the state is doing enough to address climate change? Too much? Tell us in the comments.


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