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Date: 5/23/2023
MONSON — The town of Monson hosted its hybrid Hazard Mitigation Plan update meeting on May 11 at the Town Offices at 110 Main St. and on Zoom.
The Hazard Mitigation Plan serves as a strategy for reducing current and future risks of natural hazards and climate change. The plan is being developed by the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee comprised of town leaders and local stakeholders. Jamie Caplan Consulting LLC, a Northampton-based firm, is leading this effort on behalf of the town and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
The town of Monson also developed a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan in 2019 that identifies possible actions to mitigate risks to natural hazards and climate change.
During the meeting, the town discussed what hazard mitigation is and what they think are the biggest concerns at present. Other than flooding, initial topics included dead standing trees killed by the spongy moth — formerly known as the gypsy moth — caterpillar outbreak a few years ago. The trees are now falling onto roads and taking out power lines, are prone to wildfires in forested areas in town where there is no access to town water or dry hydrants for the Fire Department to use, invasive plants and invasive insect species like the emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly or long-horned Asian beetle that still threaten their trees.
Conservation Agent Toni Uliana stated, “The top concern we have in Monson is flooding, especially along the Chicopee Brook corridor and its tributaries. Monson experiences flooding in other areas in town, including 12 Mile Brook, Thayer Brook and their tributaries.”
She continued, “We focus a lot on Chicopee Brook since it runs parallel to Route 32, our Main Street and most of the town’s infrastructure is in this area. The town is looking for public participation in how we can prepare for natural disasters.”
Uliana said Monson is nestled in the center of a Y-shaped valley and water will always travel down steep slopes. Monson was hit hard by a tornado on June 1, 2011, putting the community to the test. She knows they can work together after a natural disaster, but asked what they can do now in preparation.
“We lost a lot of trees during the tornado,” Uliana said. “Trees are vital to holding soil in place and helps to prevent erosion on the sides of steep slopes that make up Monson’s valley.”
She went on to say, “Public participation in this plan update is key, we need to know what our residents feel are the biggest threats we face in town.”
There is a survey posted atmonson-ma.gov to collect feedback from residents of what they’d like to see in the plan update. The feedback the town receives from residents and town staff will be used in the plan update.
They will discuss what actions the town can take now to minimize the threats to people, properties and infrastructure.
Actions from the previous plans will be discussed to find out which items were addressed and if they should include them in the updated plan, and if there are any new actions to add to the plan to mitigate natural hazards.
There will be another public meeting, and once everything is added into the update, it will go to FEMA for approval, then to the Select Board for approval.