THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) ISSUES FINAL APPROVAL FOR UPDATED MERRIMACK VALLEY REGION MULTI-HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN  

Ten Merrimack valley communities received final approval of their updated multi-hazard mitigation plan in February 2025. With an active plan in place, communities now qualify for federal funding opportunities and have a clear roadmap for local natural hazard improvements.  

HAVERHILL, MA – The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC) completed the comprehensive planning process for the updated Merrimack Valley Regional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan in early February 2025.  The regional plan has been accepted by FEMA and MEMA, and all ten participating communities have a reinstated hazard mitigation plan, active through February 2, 2030. 

The first regional hazard mitigation plan for the Merrimack Valley was written in 2008 and updated in 2016. In early 2023, ten communities (Amesbury, Boxford, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury, West Newbury) kicked off an update to the regional plan. Updating the regional plan was a tremendous effort at the local level. A total of 117 representatives from across the ten participating communities served on Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Teams, which met regularly during the planning period to assess local risk and develop strategies for future action.  

Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMP) are comprehensive planning documents that identify risks occurring from natural hazards and outlines strategies to minimize that risk to prevent loss of life and property. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) oversee the development and maintenance of hazard mitigation plans, requiring that communities establish a plan and update it every five years to ensure it remains relevant.  

Having an approved hazard mitigation plan and administering regular updates offers a number of benefits, including the opportunity to conduct continual and comprehensive assessments of local risk, develop comprehensive action plans for future improvements, and eligibility for federal grant funding opportunities such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant (BRIC), and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program, along with others. 

Updating the regional plan was a tremendous effort at the local level. A total of 117 representatives from across the ten participating communities served on Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Teams, which met regularly during the planning period to assess local risk and develop strategies for future action.  “MVPC is grateful to have had the opportunity to work closely with communities in the region to update this important plan, and we are eager to support advancing the Plan through implementation projects that will build community and environmental resilience to natural hazards.” 

You can read more about Natural Hazard Planning and review the updated Merrimack Valley Region Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. If you have additional questions about the planning process or final plan, please reach out to Merrimack Valley Planning Commission’s Environmental Department ([email protected]).