Arlington, Nearby Towns Receive $340K Grant To Combat Extreme Heat

ARLINGTON, MA — The Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program has awarded the team of Arlington, Everett, Malden, and Chelsea $340,000 for an initiative called "Beat the Heat: Wicked Cool Outdoors."

This project will address heat islands that were identified in a previous Wicked Hot Mystic MVP project. The money will help to implement strategies to cool the hottest areas in the the Arlington/Everett/Malden/Chelsea region.

"Arlington has worked with regional partners for years to thwart the quiet natural disaster of extreme heat," Town Manager Sandy Pooler said in a statement. "Now we're moving into action, finding ways to cool the hottest parts of our region under the guidance of those most affected by the problem."

Arlington is a member of the Resilient Mystic Collaborative (RMC), a partnership of communities within the Mystic River Watershed that are all focused on regional climate resilience. Arlington received this grant, and others, as a result of participating in the RMC and was the lead municipality on Wicked Hot Mystic MVP program conducted in the summer of 2021.

Questions regarding the MVP grant award may be directed to David Morgan, Environmental Planner and Conservation Agent, at 781-316-3012 or dmorgan@town.arlington.ma.us.