January 2025
MAPC Matters
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Need to Know Now
Release of The FY 2024 Annual Subregional Report
In early December 2024 - for the first time ever - MAPC released an annual report highlighting the collective impact of the eight subregions on the Greater Boston region as a whole, and on local residents.
If you haven't had a chance to read through it, we encourage you to do so!
Access the Subregional Report
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59 Municipalities Receive Municipal ADA Improvement Grant Funding
The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) announced in early December 2024, that they had awarded over $4.9 million in Municipal ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Improvement Grant Funding to 59 municipalities.
Congratulations to all 59 municipalities - especially those within the Greater Boston region - who were awarded this funding.
Learn More and Read the Announcement
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ADU Draft Regulations Available for Review through January 10, 2025
In early December 2024, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) released draft regulations to provide clarity on the administration of the new ADU law.
EOHLC opened a public comment period on December 20, 2024 that goes until this Friday, January 10, 2025. If you have not already, we encourage you to let your voice be heard and provide your input!
EOHLC intends to issue final regulations by the effective date of the ADU law, February 2, 2025.
Learn More About ADUs | Review the Draft Regulations | Visit MAPC's ADUs Page
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DER Accepting Culvert Replacement Project Inquiry Calls by January 10, 2025
A reminder that the Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) is currently accepting Project Inquiry/Expression of Interest calls for culvert replacement and removal projects.
To schedule a call with DER staff, please fill out the Project Inquiry Form before this Friday, January 10.
The opportunity - to have a 30-minute phone call with DER staff to discuss your potential culvert replacement or removal project ideas/sites.
Learn More on this DER Webpage
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2024 MAPC Annual Report. . .coming soon! By receiving this newsletter, you are already on the list to receive the Annual Report once it's released. | |
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Federal Legislation Update
Note: The MAPC Government Affairs Team will continually be tracking federal legislation in addition to state legislation and issues to keep you informed on those relevant to our region. If you have any questions, please contact Norman Abbott, Senior Government Affairs Specialist, nabbott@mapc.org.
On January 5, 2025, President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law. On December 21, 2024, the Senate passed the Act after the House passed the bill in November 2024.
The bill repeals both the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). If signed into law, some local, state, and federal retirees as well as their spouses may see an increase in their Social Security benefits.
The WEP can reduce the Social Security benefits of certain public servants such as teachers, fire fighters, and police who spent part of their career in the private sector in addition to working in government where they may receive benefits such as a pension that does not withhold Social Security taxes. According to the Social Security Administration, the WEP impacted 2 million or 3.1% of all beneficiaries in 2022. Similarly, the GPO reduces Social Security benefits for certain spouses and surviving spouses who receive pensions for work that is not covered by the Social Security system. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this change is expected to impact approximately 1% of recipients.
Once the bill is signed, the Social Security Administration will then evaluate how to implement it. They will likely provide more information on their website, ssa.gov or you can contact your congressional representatives for additional information.
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New Government Affairs Hub
We are thrilled to announce a new online Government Affairs Hub coming soon! This Hub will be on the MAPC website, and provide easy to access information on our legislative priorities per session, advocacy opportunities, and more.
By receiving this newsletter, you are already on the email list to receive the notification once the Hub goes live!
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MAPC's Government Affairs Team:
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Be sure to visit MAPC's Federal Funding Opportunities webpage often for information on grants as well. Additionally, visit MAPC's Federal Grants Awards webpage, highlighting awards received by MAPC. | |
The Drought Resiliency and Water Efficiency Grant Program | |
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Application Deadline
January 31, 2025 (5:00 p.m. ET)
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Grant Authority
MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
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The Request for Proposals process for this new grant opportunity is now available.
You can find all of the information needed on their grant webpage; including information from a Questions and Answers session that was held about this grant opportunity on December 3, 2024.
The Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs will also be hosting another Questions and Answers session today, January 8, 2025, from 11:00 - 12:00 p.m. on Zoom. Registration is required.
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FY 2025 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program | |
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Application Deadline
January 30, 2025 (11:50 p.m.)
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Grant Authority
U.S. Department of Transportation
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Description
The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program provides funding for surface transportation infrastructure projects that impact local or regional communities.
All information for FY 2025, including eligibility, can be found in the FY 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
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Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program | |
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Application Deadline
February 24, 2025
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Grant Authority
Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration
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Description
Created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) grant is for aiding making surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards.
For more information, including having access to related webinars, fact sheets, and more, please visit the PROTECT grant webpage.
Eligibility includes but is not limited to, units of local governments. To view the full eligibility list and requirements, please visit the PROTECT grant webpage.
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Technical Assistance
If your municipality is interested in applying for federal or state funding but lacks staff capacity MAPC may be able to help. Grant Assistance Program (GAP) funding could allow you to seek assistance from knowledgeable Regional Planning Agency (RPA) staff, which can also lead to more competitive regional and multi-municipal applications, increasing the likelihood of receiving funding. For inquiries or questions, contact Gloria Huangpu (ghuangpu@mapc.org).
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*New* MAPC Tools, Resources, and Opportunities to Participate | |
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Winter Energy Price Surge Communications Toolkit
Although not a new tool/resource, with temperatures dropping as we begin the New Year, another friendly reminder that this Toolkit is available to you.
The toolkit includes information from utilities, state agencies, and others, as well as template social media content you can tailor for your use in communicating with your residents about winter energy incentives, rebates, and programs to help them with the financial strain of utility bills.
This guide provides easy-to-use communications resources to inform consumers, residents, and small businesses about energy assistance available in Massachusetts.
Access the Toolkit
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We encourage you to continuously check out the employment page on our website for any upcoming positions. | |
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Housing Production Plan passed
Publication Date: Dec. 23, 2024 | Source: Daily Times Chronicle (Winchester)
“The updated HPP went through several draft formats before the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, whom the town hired to help with the update, finalized the version that both boards approved. With the town’s support, the plan now heads to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for final approval from the state before it can officially go into effect…”
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Malden Leaders Complete Racial Equality Program
Publication Date: Dec. 20, 2024 | Source: Patch.com
“Massachusetts Racial Equity Advancement and Collaborative Hub was a year-long initiative led by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.”
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Gas tax third rail haunts transportation funding debates
Publication Date: Dec. 13, 2024 | Source: CommonWealth Beacon
“‘With the shift to EVs, we’re really excited about what this means for greenhouse gas emissions across the state,’ said Georgia Barlow, government affairs specialist at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), on an episode of The Horse Race podcast. ‘We’re excited to see that the state is providing incentives for the shift to electric vehicles and building out that infrastructure…’”
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Upcoming Events
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events, and we encourage you to check our online events calendar often for new and updated event postings.
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Community Engagement Conversations | January Session: Establishing Relationship Foundations
January 16, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
In this session of the Community Engagement Conversations series, you will gain an understanding of how to build core foundational relationships with stakeholders, members of your community, partners, and others.
The Series:
The MAPC Community Engagement Team invites you to attend a series of Community Engagement Conversations between September 2024 through May 2025.
The once-a-month conversations will focus on different community engagement topics to support this work within your own community and introduce you to the services MAPC offers when you work with the MAPC Community Engagement Team.
You can learn more about each session of the series, and watch recordings of previous sessions by visiting the Community Engagement Conversations webpage.
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Best Practices for Welcoming and Protecting Immigrant Communities (virtual)
January 28, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Please join the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition for a panel to hear from experts and municipal leaders about how municipalities can support their immigrant residents in a time of heightened uncertainty and threats of increased immigration enforcement.
Panelists will discuss strategies to keep their immigrant communities informed and safe, ensure that all individuals are treated equally regardless of immigration status, and devote local resources to local priorities.
Questions? Please contact: Georgia Barlow (gbarlow@mapc.org).
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MPO Corner: News from our partner in transportation planning
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is Boston’s regional transportation planning agency. MAPC is one of 22 voting MPO board members. Subscribe for updates and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X at @BostonRegionMPO.
| Travel Demand Modeling in the Boston Region | |
In a new article, the Boston Region MPO’s Executive Director, Tegin Teich, describes the strategy behind the use of travel demand models, exploring how they’re used to inform decisions about infrastructure, public transit, and sustainable growth. Whether you’re a data enthusiast, policy maker, or just curious about the mechanics of transportation planning, this piece offers insights into the future of mobility and the MPO’s new model, TDM23. Discover how data and strategy come together to help plan an interconnected and equitable transportation system.
Read More
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Take Our Vision Zero Survey
Share your transportation safety concerns and ideas for improvement in our survey by Friday, January 31.
The survey is available in English, Spanish (Español), Brazilian Portuguese (Português), Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt), Traditional Chinese (漢語), Simplified Chinese (汉语), and Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisyen).
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Manager of Multimodal Planning and Design
Manager of Data Management Group
Transportation Planner
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Upcoming MPO Meetings and Events:
Thursday, January 16 - MPO Meeting
Thursday, February 6 - MPO Meeting
Subregional TIP Project Readiness Workshop (Register)
Tuesday, January 14 (Inner Core Committee)
Wednesday, January 15 (MAGIC, NSPC, NSTF)
Thursday, January 16 (MWRC, SSC, SWAP, TRIC)
Public attendance and comments are welcome at all MPO meetings and events. Visit the MPO’s website for more information. Meeting dates and materials are available on the MPO meeting calendar. Submit questions and comments via the MPO’s feedback forms.
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Your monthly MAPC newsletter. | |
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