Bill > S686

This bill aims to incentivize local climate resilience by establishing a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plus (MVP plus) grant program that provides financial support to municipalities that adopt climate adaptation policies. Municipalities can qualify for annual funding by completing a community-led resilience assessment, adopting a specialized stretch resilience code, and implementing at least four out of six specific climate resilience policies. These policies include creating stormwater utility programs, establishing climate resilience hubs, implementing green infrastructure training and practices, developing floodplain overlay districts, adopting tree protection ordinances, and using forward-looking precipitation estimates in permit analyses. The bill also creates a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Trust Fund to support these efforts and requires the development of a new specialized stretch resilience building code that incorporates forward-looking climate risk data, such as flood risks, extreme temperatures, and wind impacts. An advisory committee of 17 experts will be formed to help develop this new building code, which municipalities can opt to adopt. The executive office of energy and environmental affairs will administer the program, develop model ordinances, and submit annual reports to track progress and expenditures.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S686