Somerville seeks $187,200 climate-resilience grant to expand street trees and cool narrow sidewalks

Alan Inacio told the committee the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs awarded a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant of $187,200 to the city's Public Space & Urban Forestry Division for a 'Green and Cool Somerville Sustainable Sidewalk and Trees Project' focused on heat resilience by expanding tree canopy in narrow or constrained sidewalk areas.

Inacio said the grant requires a small match that the city will meet with in-kind staff time and a modest cash contribution from existing program funds; he asked councilors and residents to forward candidate locations. Councilor Hart expressed support and asked how sites will be identified; Inacio said staff will work with engineering and OSC and welcomed input from councilors and residents. The committee laid the item on the table to recommend approval to the full council.