Massachusetts can rebuild both environment & economy

Massachusetts has received but not yet spent almost $5 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act Congress passed earlier this year. State and local leaders are still weighing what to do with that windfall.

As the former head of a state environmental agency who helped allocate similarly large pots of federal money in the wake of the Great Recession and the recovery from Hurricane Sandy, I have some advice.

Investing in “naturebased” solutions — such as restoring wetlands and removing inactive dams to reduce the risk of flooding — would deliver among the best returns. These infrastructure investments mitigate the consequences of climate change. They also create and sustain jobs — and have the potential to protect and support historically underserved communities.

After enduring three tropical storms and recordsetting heat waves this summer, New Englanders need no reminder of the dangers and financial burden posed by extreme weather. Hurricane Ida caused up to $8 billion in insured property damage throughout the Northeast. Flooding has crippled transportation networks. High winds have caused days-long power outages.

Sweltering temperatures and poor air quality from fossil-fuel pollution also wreak havoc on human health — especially in communities that have been neglected or marginalized. Extreme heat, for example, is the leading cause of weather-related deaths over the past three decades.

Nature-based infrastructure can help mitigate these threats. Consider the benefits of reconnecting rivers to their natural floodplains so floodwaters have a place to go. Eighty-five percent of the state’s almost 3,000 dams no longer have an active purpose. About 300 of those have been deemed “high hazard,” meaning they’re at risk of breaching and are near communities.

Dams fragment freeflowing water — and thereby increase its temperature and reduce sediment transport and oxygen levels. That harms water quality for both humans and wildlife. Removing these structures would support the planet’s long-term health, protect communities from damage and save money that otherwise might have gone toward disaster response.

Or consider the benefits of restoring wetlands — areas where water either covers the soil or sits just beneath the surface. Wetlands play an invaluable role in preventing storm damage, filtering our drinking water, sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and supporting biodiversity. Replanting trees and native plants along our shorelines similarly helps prevent erosion and flooding.

Such natural “ecosystem services,” as they’re known, “are difficult to replace and most often very expensive to engineer,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA estimates that the wetlands around Boston alone provide more than $42,000 in flood protection per acre.

In addition to enhancing public safety, these investments also create or enlarge green spaces that become havens for wildlife and give people places to enjoy nature.

They also create jobs. Every $1 million spent on nature-based solutions creates the equivalent of 12.5 full-time jobs, according to the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration. Coastal habitat restoration projects can support up to 30 jobs for every million dollars invested.

Many of those jobs don’t require advanced degrees and can provide workforce development opportunities for members of frontline communities, who have been hit hardest by the pandemic.

Thanks to the legislature and the Baker administration, Massachusetts is already a national leader in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Over 90% of the commonwealth’s municipalities are enrolled in the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program. They’ve gone through a local planning process to prioritize action projects to manage climate change impacts. The newly available funds can significantly scale up this work.

The American Rescue Plan Act has given Massachusetts a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect our environment, boost our economy and make our society more just and equitable. By investing in nature-based solutions, our leaders can work toward all three of these critical goals at the same time.