Health × Heat
Heat directly and indirectly impacts human health. Direct impacts include heat stress and heat stroke, as well as complicating respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and mental health conditions. Exposure to pollen and ground-level ozone (a primary ingredient in smog) increases with heat and exacerbates respiratory conditions. A 2022 study at Boston College reported that “a wide range of other illnesses are... associated with poor air quality, including cases of low birth weight, heart disease and stroke, [and] lung cancer” (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 40). Indirect impacts to human health from increased heat include risk of vector-borne diseases that thrive in warm weather, such as diseases carried by mosquitos.
Projections for increases in extreme heat estimate that by 2050, inland Massachusetts will see 25 additional days above 90°F and coastal areas will see an additional 19 days. The projections do not factor in increases in humidity, which can make the air feel warmer and further impact health outcomes (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 19-20).
The Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment identified heat at the center of the three health impacts of climate change: health and cognitive effects, degraded air quality, and mental health stress. Heat-related impacts on human health are anticipated to create disproportionate impacts for environmental justice populations and other priority populations.
In this context, priority populations that could be disproportionately impacted by heat include the following: outdoor workers, children, and the elderly, those who are pregnant, those who are low-income, those who are displaced or homeless, those with disabilities, those taking medications that impair heat tolerance, and those with preexisting health conditions.
Heat directly and indirectly impacts human health. Direct impacts include heat stress and heat stroke, as well as complicating respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and mental health conditions. Exposure to pollen and ground-level ozone (a primary ingredient in smog) increases with heat and exacerbates respiratory conditions. A 2022 study at Boston College reported that “a wide range of other illnesses are... associated with poor air quality, including cases of low birth weight, heart disease and stroke, [and] lung cancer” (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 40). Indirect impacts to human health from increased heat include risk of vector-borne diseases that thrive in warm weather, such as diseases carried by mosquitos.
Projections for increases in extreme heat estimate that by 2050, inland Massachusetts will see 25 additional days above 90°F and coastal areas will see an additional 19 days. The projections do not factor in increases in humidity, which can make the air feel warmer and further impact health outcomes (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 19-20).
The Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment identified heat at the center of the three health impacts of climate change: health and cognitive effects, degraded air quality, and mental health stress. Heat-related impacts on human health are anticipated to create disproportionate impacts for environmental justice populations and other priority populations.
In this context, priority populations that could be disproportionately impacted by heat include the following: outdoor workers, children, and the elderly, those who are pregnant, those who are low-income, those who are displaced or homeless, those with disabilities, those taking medications that impair heat tolerance, and those with preexisting health conditions.
Questions to Answer
The questions and guided explorations below are designed to assist you with thinking about how heat may impact health in your community. Use the Health x Heat worksheet to assist you when answering these questions.
The questions and guided explorations below are designed to assist you with thinking about how heat may impact health in your community. Use the Health x Heat worksheet to assist you when answering these questions.
Climate
change will increase the frequency of extreme heat days, which will contribute
to increases in heat-related illnesses. Days of extreme heat are associated
with more emergency department visits, as well as more hospital admissions for
cardiovascular disorders and kidney and respiratory conditions (CDC,2022; MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 34). More frequent extreme heat days also mean more
consecutive days of extreme heat, increasing the risks and frequency of health
impacts.
From 1971-2000, the average summer temperature was 67.9°F
(SHMCAP, 2018, p. 4-153). Climate change will increase average summer temperatures
and result in more days where the temperature peaks to over 90 and even 95
degrees Fahrenheit. These high temperatures compromise the body’s ability to
regulate internal temperature. Overheating results in a condition known as heat
stress. The symptoms of heat stress include rapid pulse, dehydration, cramping,
nausea, headache, and disorientation. Left untreated, heat stress can escalate
to heat stroke, which can cause permanent damage to the brain, heart, kidneys,
and muscles. The Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment was able to calculate that
currently 19 annual premature deaths can be attributed to extreme temperatures.
However, more than 400 additional annual premature deaths may result from
extreme heat by the end of the century (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 33).
Long-term
exposure to increased heat can also contribute to more people living with
chronic conditions like asthma. Warm temperatures contribute to the formation
of a pollutant called ground level ozone, which is a primary ingredient in smog.
Long-term exposure to reduced air quality is linked to more asthma diagnoses and
is linked to other diseases like heart disease and lung cancer (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 39). Currently, about 1 out of 11 people in Massachusetts (9% of the population) suffer from asthma, including 1 in 8 (12.4%) school age children (Massachusetts Environmental Public Health Tracker, Pediatric Asthma, 2022). The asthma
incidence rate may be 7 times as high as the current rate by 2090 (increasing
from 7 up to 53 cases per 100,000 people) (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 40). Visit the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Climate Hazard Adaptation Profile on extreme heat to learn more about the ways in
which extreme heat can impact health.
Guided Exploration
This
exploration will consider information from the MA Department of Public Health
website, along with the local expertise held by your community and any
additional community partners. Thinking about how heat affects the health of
residents in your community is essential for climate change planning and
developing adaptation actions.
- Open the Department of Public Health's webpage on health impacts from climate change and click the square button (top right) titled "Climate-Enhanced Community Profile" (or click this link to go directly to the profile tool).
- Select your community from the list and open the report (either in your web viewer or as a PDF).
At the top of your Community Profile is some basic population, land use, and demographic information. The text in the orange bubbles provides guiding information to consider connections between environment, climate change, and health. The lower half of the report discusses health outcomes in your community – please explore and discuss the following topics:
- Heart attack hospitalizations
- Asthma emergency department visits
- Air quality
- Heat stress emergency department visits
Consider the following questions in relation to the topics above:
- How do the hospitalization rates or numbers of emergency department visits in your community compare to the statewide average?
- What may contribute to these occurrences being higher or lower?
- In recent year, has your community had multiple days per year or notably poor air quality?
Discuss the following as a group:
- Has the community taken public health measures to protect health during periods of high heat (e.g., warnings to shelter in place, poor air quality notices, closure of beaches/waterbodies due to bacterial or other potentially harmful exposures, provision of cooling stations, transportation to cooling centers)?
- What are some of the most significant direct impacts to human health due to warming and extreme heat that you observe in your community? Are there trends you can detect in your community? Consider:
- Lung and respiratory conditions, such as asthma
- Mental and behavioral health conditions
- Heat stroke and heat exhaustion
- Hospitalizations and emergency room visits on very hot days
- What are some of the indirect impacts to human health that result from periods of extreme heat (either during or after such periods)? Are there trends you can detect in your community? Consider:
- West Nile Virus
- Lyme Disease
- Vibriosis (a disease caused by Vibrio bacteria)
If you're curious to learn more about some of these diseases, check out the Fact Sheets on Infectious Diseases.
Read More About Related Impacts in the Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment:
- Health and Cognitive Effects from Extreme Heat page 32 (top impact Statewide; Central; Boston Harbor; Cape, Islands, & South Coast)
- Health Effects from Degraded Air Quality page 39 (top impact Statewide; Boston Harbor; North & South Shores)
- Increase in Mental Health Stressors page A9
- Increase in Vector Borne Disease Incidences and Bacterial Infections page A36 (top impact Berkshires & Hilltowns; Eastern Inland; Boston Harbor; Cape, Islands, & South Coast)
- Reduction in Clean Water Supply page A60 (top impact Berkshires & Hilltowns; Cape, Islands, & South Coast)
Climate
change will increase the frequency of extreme heat days, which will contribute
to increases in heat-related illnesses. Days of extreme heat are associated
with more emergency department visits, as well as more hospital admissions for
cardiovascular disorders and kidney and respiratory conditions (CDC,2022; MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 34). More frequent extreme heat days also mean more
consecutive days of extreme heat, increasing the risks and frequency of health
impacts.
From 1971-2000, the average summer temperature was 67.9°F
(SHMCAP, 2018, p. 4-153). Climate change will increase average summer temperatures
and result in more days where the temperature peaks to over 90 and even 95
degrees Fahrenheit. These high temperatures compromise the body’s ability to
regulate internal temperature. Overheating results in a condition known as heat
stress. The symptoms of heat stress include rapid pulse, dehydration, cramping,
nausea, headache, and disorientation. Left untreated, heat stress can escalate
to heat stroke, which can cause permanent damage to the brain, heart, kidneys,
and muscles. The Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment was able to calculate that
currently 19 annual premature deaths can be attributed to extreme temperatures.
However, more than 400 additional annual premature deaths may result from
extreme heat by the end of the century (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 33).
Long-term
exposure to increased heat can also contribute to more people living with
chronic conditions like asthma. Warm temperatures contribute to the formation
of a pollutant called ground level ozone, which is a primary ingredient in smog.
Long-term exposure to reduced air quality is linked to more asthma diagnoses and
is linked to other diseases like heart disease and lung cancer (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 39). Currently, about 1 out of 11 people in Massachusetts (9% of the population) suffer from asthma, including 1 in 8 (12.4%) school age children (Massachusetts Environmental Public Health Tracker, Pediatric Asthma, 2022). The asthma
incidence rate may be 7 times as high as the current rate by 2090 (increasing
from 7 up to 53 cases per 100,000 people) (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 40). Visit the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Climate Hazard Adaptation Profile on extreme heat to learn more about the ways in
which extreme heat can impact health.
Guided Exploration
This
exploration will consider information from the MA Department of Public Health
website, along with the local expertise held by your community and any
additional community partners. Thinking about how heat affects the health of
residents in your community is essential for climate change planning and
developing adaptation actions.
- Open the Department of Public Health's webpage on health impacts from climate change and click the square button (top right) titled "Climate-Enhanced Community Profile" (or click this link to go directly to the profile tool).
- Select your community from the list and open the report (either in your web viewer or as a PDF).
At the top of your Community Profile is some basic population, land use, and demographic information. The text in the orange bubbles provides guiding information to consider connections between environment, climate change, and health. The lower half of the report discusses health outcomes in your community – please explore and discuss the following topics:
- Heart attack hospitalizations
- Asthma emergency department visits
- Air quality
- Heat stress emergency department visits
Consider the following questions in relation to the topics above:
- How do the hospitalization rates or numbers of emergency department visits in your community compare to the statewide average?
- What may contribute to these occurrences being higher or lower?
- In recent year, has your community had multiple days per year or notably poor air quality?
Discuss the following as a group:
- Has the community taken public health measures to protect health during periods of high heat (e.g., warnings to shelter in place, poor air quality notices, closure of beaches/waterbodies due to bacterial or other potentially harmful exposures, provision of cooling stations, transportation to cooling centers)?
- What are some of the most significant direct impacts to human health due to warming and extreme heat that you observe in your community? Are there trends you can detect in your community? Consider:
- Lung and respiratory conditions, such as asthma
- Mental and behavioral health conditions
- Heat stroke and heat exhaustion
- Hospitalizations and emergency room visits on very hot days
- What are some of the indirect impacts to human health that result from periods of extreme heat (either during or after such periods)? Are there trends you can detect in your community? Consider:
- West Nile Virus
- Lyme Disease
- Vibriosis (a disease caused by Vibrio bacteria)
If you're curious to learn more about some of these diseases, check out the Fact Sheets on Infectious Diseases.
Read More About Related Impacts in the Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment:
- Health and Cognitive Effects from Extreme Heat page 32 (top impact Statewide; Central; Boston Harbor; Cape, Islands, & South Coast)
- Health Effects from Degraded Air Quality page 39 (top impact Statewide; Boston Harbor; North & South Shores)
- Increase in Mental Health Stressors page A9
- Increase in Vector Borne Disease Incidences and Bacterial Infections page A36 (top impact Berkshires & Hilltowns; Eastern Inland; Boston Harbor; Cape, Islands, & South Coast)
- Reduction in Clean Water Supply page A60 (top impact Berkshires & Hilltowns; Cape, Islands, & South Coast)
Heat-related
impacts on human health are expected to be highly disproportionate in
Massachusetts. Groups that might be especially affected by extreme heat and its
impacts include outdoor workers, children and the elderly, those who are
pregnant, those who are low-income, those who are displaced or homeless, those
with disabilities, those with preexisting health conditions, and people living
and/or working in environmental justice neighborhoods.
The 2022
Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment describes how environmental justice populations
could face up to 28% higher rates of premature death compared to the rest of
the Commonwealth because of extreme heat (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 36). Minority and language-isolated populations are
over 20% more likely to live in neighborhoods with the highest projected
increases in childhood asthma incidences. The current rate of childhood asthma
is 1 in 8 in Massachusetts (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 39). Poor current air quality in EJ neighborhoods, high
historical rates of exposure to air pollution over years for these
neighborhoods, poor access to preventative health care and treatment, and lack
of access to air conditioning and high energy costs of running air conditioners
all contribute to the disproportionate effects of these impacts on EJ and other
priority populations (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 36 & 43).
Guided Exploration:
This guided
exploration is designed help you consider which, and where, priority
populations live in your community. This
information may help to identify and plan for expanding resources that support
health and wellbeing during periods of increased heat (for example, community
clinics, public pools, or swimming holes).
Open the GEAR Health Map and enter your location. Expand the Climate Hazard Data group, turn on the Hot Spots layer, and explore overlaying various layers from the EJ and Other Priority Populations group. Look at where different priority populations are located and consider how some populations will face additional challenges from being in heat islands. Consider the following questions:
- How can the community best support each of these populations?
- What are some of each population's unique needs?
- How can you get a sense of where vulnerable people can be found (e.g., outdoor workers and those with preexisting health conditions), even if they are not included in available data sets?
Consider
resources in your community that support health and wellness. This could
include hospitals, health centers, community clinics, publicly accessible
buildings with air conditioning, public water fountains, public pools, parks,
trails, and many others. Toggle on the groups of layers named Community
Health Resources, Community Components, and Public Recreation to start the conversation. Consider the following questions:
- What are ways to make these sites more affordable and accessible to those who may need them most during extreme heat?
- What are ways to make these sites more resilient to extreme heat so communities can count on them when needed (e.g., improvements, retrofits)?
- What are ways to make these sites welcoming to community members from the region who may not have the same kinds of resources in their communities (e.g., beaches, swimming ponds, pools)?
- Are there ways that people without access to a personal vehicle may access these sites?
For a more
intensive exploration, the Department of Public Health also features an Emergency Preparedness Populations Planning Tool that is designed to help plan for emergency
services and responses, taking into account demographic information.
Heat-related
impacts on human health are expected to be highly disproportionate in
Massachusetts. Groups that might be especially affected by extreme heat and its
impacts include outdoor workers, children and the elderly, those who are
pregnant, those who are low-income, those who are displaced or homeless, those
with disabilities, those with preexisting health conditions, and people living
and/or working in environmental justice neighborhoods.
The 2022
Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment describes how environmental justice populations
could face up to 28% higher rates of premature death compared to the rest of
the Commonwealth because of extreme heat (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 36). Minority and language-isolated populations are
over 20% more likely to live in neighborhoods with the highest projected
increases in childhood asthma incidences. The current rate of childhood asthma
is 1 in 8 in Massachusetts (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 39). Poor current air quality in EJ neighborhoods, high
historical rates of exposure to air pollution over years for these
neighborhoods, poor access to preventative health care and treatment, and lack
of access to air conditioning and high energy costs of running air conditioners
all contribute to the disproportionate effects of these impacts on EJ and other
priority populations (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 36 & 43).
Guided Exploration:
This guided
exploration is designed help you consider which, and where, priority
populations live in your community. This
information may help to identify and plan for expanding resources that support
health and wellbeing during periods of increased heat (for example, community
clinics, public pools, or swimming holes).
Open the GEAR Health Map and enter your location. Expand the Climate Hazard Data group, turn on the Hot Spots layer, and explore overlaying various layers from the EJ and Other Priority Populations group. Look at where different priority populations are located and consider how some populations will face additional challenges from being in heat islands. Consider the following questions:
- How can the community best support each of these populations?
- What are some of each population's unique needs?
- How can you get a sense of where vulnerable people can be found (e.g., outdoor workers and those with preexisting health conditions), even if they are not included in available data sets?
Consider
resources in your community that support health and wellness. This could
include hospitals, health centers, community clinics, publicly accessible
buildings with air conditioning, public water fountains, public pools, parks,
trails, and many others. Toggle on the groups of layers named Community
Health Resources, Community Components, and Public Recreation to start the conversation. Consider the following questions:
- What are ways to make these sites more affordable and accessible to those who may need them most during extreme heat?
- What are ways to make these sites more resilient to extreme heat so communities can count on them when needed (e.g., improvements, retrofits)?
- What are ways to make these sites welcoming to community members from the region who may not have the same kinds of resources in their communities (e.g., beaches, swimming ponds, pools)?
- Are there ways that people without access to a personal vehicle may access these sites?
For a more
intensive exploration, the Department of Public Health also features an Emergency Preparedness Populations Planning Tool that is designed to help plan for emergency
services and responses, taking into account demographic information.
Investigate GEAR Map Data Layers
Explore the Health map to learn more about how heat may impact health in your community. The list at the right provides an overview of selected data layers included in the map, as well as a detailed description of each layer.
Explore the Health map to learn more about how heat may impact health in your community. The list at the right provides an overview of selected data layers included in the map, as well as a detailed description of each layer.
Hot spots are areas with the 5% highest Land Surface Temperature Index values in each RPA region. These areas often have increased energy costs (for cooling), more air pollution, and higher incident of heat-related illness and death.
This layer shows the locations of both acute and
non-acute care hospitals in Massachusetts that provide primary care,
preventative care, and specialty care, as well as emergency care and trauma
care.
This data layer displays
program sites from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), whose programs "provide
equitable health care to people who are geographically isolated and
economically or medically vulnerable." HRSA sites and programs
"deliver health services to people with HIV, pregnant people, mothers and
their families, those with low incomes, residents of rural areas, American
Indians and Alaska Natives, and those otherwise unable to access high-quality
health care."
These non-profit community-based organizations offer comprehensive primary care, including medical, socal and/or mental health services, to anyone in need regarless of their medical status, ability to pay, culture, or ethnicity. Additional services may include translation, workforce development, training, and education. Before, during, and after emergencies, Community Health Centers provide essential information, resources, and care.
This layer reflects the facilities enrolled in Rx
Open. Combining multiple data feeds from the pharmaceutical industry, Rx Open
displays the precise location on Google Maps of open pharmacies, closed
pharmacies, and those whose status is unknown.
Town and City Halls are primary municipal executive offices in Massachusetts. They can provide many essential social services and play essential roles in furthering resilience planning and resilience building actions for their communities.
This layer contains the locations of licensed
nursing homes, rest homes and assisted living residences in Massachusetts.
Those living and working in these facilities may be more vulnerable to climate
impacts like power outages and heat waves, which can further existing health
and mobility challenges that residents may have and staff persons need to
navigate.
Childcare Centers provide care and educational services for their clients, but can also provide essential resources and information. For example, parents and guardians may rely on services which provide their child with social and emotional wellness, meals, and child supervision during work hours. This layer displays information from MassGIS.
Schools attended by students from
pre-kindergarten through high school provide educational services for those
students, but also provide essential resources and information. For example,
caregivers may rely on services which provide their child with social and
emotional wellness, meals, and before- and after-school care. Schools often
have a strong understanding of food insecurity and other challenges among their
student body. They may also play a role in emergency response.
Institutions of higher education are centers of
research and innovation, many of which have a strong connection to nearby
communities. Colleges and universities may play an essential role in
disseminating information, and may also serve as major employers in the
community.
Libraries can provide many services for communities,
including free access to computers and the internet. People access and attend
important resources and events at libraries, including tutoring support,
college preparatory support, job training support, accessibility tools, and
cultural events. Libraries often play a role in emergency response, such as serving
as cooling centers during heatwaves.
Places of worship, such as mosques, synagogues,
and churches, are important community centers that foster connection and
belonging. They may address housing insecurity and food insecurity (among
other challenges) for their congregants and other community members. Places of
worship often play a role in emergency response, such as serving as cooling
centers during heatwaves.
Fire stations are part of the network of critical infrastructure, particularly for emergency response. This MassGIS layer includes the location of 789 stations in the Commonwealth.
This layer shows the locations of
law enforcement and sheriff offices in Massachusetts, covering local, county
and state jurisdictions.
This layer shows DCR-owned open water swimming
beaches. Swimming areas and other recreation sites contribute to overall health
and wellbeing, providing residents from nearby communities with opportunities
to engage in physical activity, relieve stress, and connect with others, among
other healthy activities. Swimming areas also provide community members with
opportunities to cool off on days of high heat.
This layer shows pools that can be used for
swimming, wading, and diving, as well as the status of the pool (open or
closed), the phone number of the facility, and the level of lifeguard staffing.
Pools and other recreation sites contribute to overall health and wellbeing,
providing residents from nearby communities with opportunities to engage in
physical activity, relieve stress, and connect with others, among other healthy
activities. Pools also provide community members with opportunities to cool off
on days of high heat.
This layer includes assets along DCR's roads and trails, including, trailheads,
recreational sites, picnic tables/areas, benches, and vistas.
This data layer shows
legal roads and trails identified by DCR staff and consultants on DCR
properties. Trails and other outdoor recreation
sites contribute to overall health and wellbeing, providing residents from
nearby communities with opportunities to engage in physical activity, relieve
stress, and connect with others, among other healthy activities.
This layer shows beaches, boat ramps, coves, rocky shorelines, public landings, coastal parks, salt marshes, and other open land that has been classified as open to the public. Sites may be owned by the state, cities and towns, federal agencies, or private and non-profit entities.
This database from the Trust for Public Land shows 10-minute walk service areas for public parks and also highlights priority areas for new parks by combining areas outside of a 10-minute walk from an existing park with demographic and environmental factors.
This layer indicates publicly-accessible recreation or recreation/conservation land. The property may be publicly- or privately-owned, and may be permanently or temporarily protected, or have no legal protection at all.
Environmental justice (EJ) populations, i.e., block groups are defined in Chapter 8 of the Acts of 2021 and the 2021 EEA EJ Policy. EJ populations are those segments of the population that EEA has determined to be most at risk of being unaware of or unable to participate in environmental decision-making or to gain access to state environmental resources or are especially vulnerable. 2020 block groups, updated in Nov 2022.
Actions to Consider
Communities can take a number of steps to build resilience to the health impacts of increasing temperatures. Some actions may include:
Communities can take a number of steps to build resilience to the health impacts of increasing temperatures. Some actions may include:
Cool roofs, green roofs, cool pavement, and urban forestry are among the options available to municipalities to mitigate heat, not only for housing, but throughout an entire community. Explore and implement policy tools available to support adoption of these heat mitigation strategies. "Adaptation to Urban Heat: A Tool Kit for Local Governments" provides decision-making support for assessing different policy tools, including government operations, mandates (e.g. building codes and standards), incentives (e.g. grant and rebate programs), and public education programs.
Engage residents and design professionals to assess and prioritize opportunities to incorporate heat mitigation features for existing and new public and affordable housing. Solutions may include, for example, cool roofs, cool pavement, green roofs and walls, planting trees and urban vegetation, and incorporating shade structures and water features. Combined, these features can reduce the absorption of heat in housing, cool the surrounding air through evapotranspiration, lower energy bills and improve solar panel efficiency, if present, and support community wellbeing. Extend the impact of these initiatives by incorporating local skills training and provisions to hire local to complete the work. See C40 Cities' resource on "How to Adapt Your City to Extreme Heat."
The MVP 2.0 "Create Cool Housing" Seed Project one-pager contains more details and inspiration around this action.
Launch a participatory mapping process to collectively map public areas in your town or city where community members go to cool off. These areas may include nature preserves, parks and open spaces, public pools and bodies of water, fountains and splash pads, public air-conditioned buildings, and
designated cooling shelters. Collectively identify gaps (areas with very few
cooling sites) and access barriers, which may relate to cost, transportation,
accessibility for varying abilities, hours of operation, or cultural or
language barriers. Work with community stakeholders to expand access to cooling
sites based on community needs and priorities, prioritizing the needs of people
who are disproportionately affected by high heat.
Explore MVP Projects
Explore the MVP-funded projects below:
Explore the MVP-funded projects below:
FY21 Action Grant (ongoing through June 2023)
$186,200 Award
This project, led by the town of Arlington, provided the Resilient Mystic Collaborative with high-resolution, watershed-wide, baseline data on ground-level air temperatures, humidity, wind, and particulate matter. This data is driving social resilience work in the region. The project included recruiting, training, and supporting youth and adults from the local community in conducting this local STEM learning opportunity and data gathering initiative.
Learn more: Resilient Mystic Collaborative - Wicked Hot Mystic
FY21 Action Grant (ongoing through June 2023)
$186,200 Award
This project, led by the town of Arlington, provided the Resilient Mystic Collaborative with high-resolution, watershed-wide, baseline data on ground-level air temperatures, humidity, wind, and particulate matter. This data is driving social resilience work in the region. The project included recruiting, training, and supporting youth and adults from the local community in conducting this local STEM learning opportunity and data gathering initiative.
Learn more: Resilient Mystic Collaborative - Wicked Hot Mystic
FY21 Action Grant
$262,996 Award
The city of Chelsea advanced a citywide urban heat island mitigation initiative. This project was complemented by ongoing regional efforts to analyze ambient air and land surface temperatures; perform a social vulnerability assessment; prioritize corridors for public and private heat mitigation interventions; and devise and carry out five pilot heat mitigation projects on public properties.
Learn more: Chelsea FY21 Urban Heat Mitigation Project
FY21 Action Grant
$262,996 Award
The city of Chelsea advanced a citywide urban heat island mitigation initiative. This project was complemented by ongoing regional efforts to analyze ambient air and land surface temperatures; perform a social vulnerability assessment; prioritize corridors for public and private heat mitigation interventions; and devise and carry out five pilot heat mitigation projects on public properties.
Learn more: Chelsea FY21 Urban Heat Mitigation Project
FY20 Action Grant
$256,926 Award
The town of Uxbridge developed an integrated vector-borne disease management plan. This included (1) a tailored, biological-based, and regional approach to mosquito control, (2) replacing highly degraded priority culverts, and (3) strengthening the emergency communications plans and systems to reach all members of the community.
Project website: Town of Uxbridge | Vector-borne Disease Management Plan
Case study: Uxbridge FY20 Integrated Vector Disease Control
FY20 Action Grant
$256,926 Award
The town of Uxbridge developed an integrated vector-borne disease management plan. This included (1) a tailored, biological-based, and regional approach to mosquito control, (2) replacing highly degraded priority culverts, and (3) strengthening the emergency communications plans and systems to reach all members of the community.
Project website: Town of Uxbridge | Vector-borne Disease Management Plan
Case study: Uxbridge FY20 Integrated Vector Disease Control
Related Guides
Explore how heat affects economic sectors such as
agriculture and community members’ ability to work.
Explore how heat affects economic sectors such as
agriculture and community members’ ability to work.
Explore how increased heat and decreased precipitation
affect people’s ability to access healthy food and disrupt public water supplies.
Explore how increased heat and decreased precipitation
affect people’s ability to access healthy food and disrupt public water supplies.