This plan is split into focus areas allowing us to be comprehensive in how we address the impacts of climate change and reduce our emissions. The seven Plan Elements are:
Explore the Resilient Together Actions
Implementing policies, programs, and projects that facilitate the early generation and adoption of reliable, clean energy and promote ongoing energy efficiency.
| Action | Description | Project Duration | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Promote residential energy efficiency, renewable energy, and electrification, including through state and utility program offerings | Short: 1-2 years |  |
| E-2 | Identify potential locations for district-scale geothermal microgrids and encourage, support, and incentivize this practice for large developments | Short: 1-2 years |  |
| E-3 | Develop an education campaign for local businesses on opportunities for energy demand reduction, such as demand response programs and other utility incentives. This education campaign could shift focus, as needed, over time. | Short: 1-2 years |  |
| E-4 | Host existing and establish new training programs for businesses and homeowners on renewable energy and energy storage options | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| E-5 | Incorporate clean energy education and climate change education into the school curriculum | Short: 1-2 years | |
| E-6 | Promote clean alternatives to electrification for difficult-to-electrify properties | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| E-7 | Evaluate municipal facilities to increase energy efficiency and redundancy, exploring opportunities for cleaner and more secure back-up power options | Short: 1-2 years |  |
| E-8 | Advocate for large-scale offshore wind projects and explore feasibility of Cities as anchor institutions for State projects | Short: 1-2 years | |
| E-9 | Establish progressively higher percentage requirements for New England region renewable energy projects for standard option green municipal aggregation (GMA) programs and promote "plus" options for 100% regional renewable energy | Medium: 3-5 years |  |
| E-10 | Coordinate with local institutions to provide vocational training programs for clean energy careers | Long: >5 years | |
| E-11 | Partner with utilities to address gas leaks in supply infrastructure by replacing all cast iron pipe | Medium: 3-5 years | |
Enhancing drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater infrastructure as well as bridges and streets through green infrastructure and improved maintenance.
| Action | Description | Project Duration | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-1 | Implement resilience upgrades for critical infrastructure assets vulnerable to coastal flooding | Long: >5 years | |
| I-2 | Analyze all infrastructure for vulnerability, evaluate for criticality, rank for priority upgrades, and incorporate into asset management and capital planning | Long: >5 years | |
| I-3 | Explore financing strategies like stormwater fees to generate needed revenue for infrastructure financing | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| I-4 | Develop and adopt sustainable and resilient design guidelines for all new site development and infrastructure projects, as well as upgrades/maintenance to existing infrastructure | Short: 1-2 years |  |
| I-5 | Implement an education and training program for municipal staff (including DPS/DPW, planning staff, administration) on best practices for operations and maintenance of green infrastructure. Make information from these trainings available to the public. | Long: >5 years | |
| I-6 | Create incentives for businesses and residents to convert impervious surfaces to pervious areas | Long: >5 years | |
| I-7 | Implement a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to assess public asset conditions, streamline data collection, and estimate asset replacement values, considering, as appropriate, life cycle assessment. | Short: 1-2 years |  |
| I-8 | Establish a long term strategy for public shoreline stabilization structures with an emphasis on nature-based solutions and naturalizing the coast line | Long: >5 years | |
| I-9 | Conduct a detailed hydrologic and hydraulic model of the cities to understand flood risks | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| I-10 | Assess vulnerability of telecommunications infrastructure and develop strategy to improve resilience | Medium: 3-5 years | |
Driving the transition to resilient and carbon neutral buildings—new and existing—that are healthier and more affordable to own and operate.
| Action | Description | Project Duration | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BD-1 | Encourage and incentivize property owner participation in deep energy retrofits | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| BD-2 | Develop energy performance and electrification standards and incentives for new construction and major renovations to encourage progress toward net zero carbon emissions in buildings | Short: 1-2 years | |
| BD-3 | Establish requirements for new commercial and multi-family residential properties to include electric vehicle charging infrastructure, eco-roofs, and bike-ped amenities | Short: 1-2 years | |
| BD-4 | Adopt the state net zero energy building code | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| BD-5 | Host, promote, and invest in trainings and collaborative learning for municipal staff, boards/commissions, and building industry partners to support energy efficiency and decarbonization practices, from design to ongoing maintenance | Short: 1-2 years | |
| BD-6 | Establish overlay zoning district(s) that establish minimum flood resilience design standards for new construction and existing buildings | Medium: 3-5 years |  |
| BD-7 | Implement energy efficiency upgrades and renewables, as well as for climate change vulnerabilities and resilience improvements in all municipal properties. | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| BD-8 | Medium: 3-5 years | | |
| BD-9 | Develop a public education and outreach program about flood protection strategies, Community Rating System, and flood insurance, including the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Risk Rating 2.0 updates | Medium: 3-5 years | |
Creating a safe, connected, and accessible transportation system that prioritizes no and low carbon mobility, and promotes active lifestyles.
| Action | Description | Project Duration | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | Evaluate and prioritize roadway spending to accommodate all users and encourage pedestrian and cyclist connectivity and safety | Long: >5 years | |
| M-2 | Collaborate with transit (e.g., MBTA, bus, and shuttle providers) to prioritize improvements to public transportation operations, including route efficiency, expanded service, last-mile options, shelter/shading improvements, and enhanced affordability | Long: >5 years | |
| M-3 | Create a public awareness campaign for electric vehicles (EV) and available charging stations locally and throughout the region | Short: 1-2 years | |
| M-4 | Enhance and increase awareness of multi-modal connectivity and accessibility options through educational events and enhanced wayfinding | Short: 1-2 years | |
| M-5 | Provide bicycle parking, including electric bicycle parking outlets, where feasible, at public parks, schools, and other major activity centers | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| M-6 | Assess expansion of Salem bikeshare into a regional bike share program for Salem, Beverly, and neighboring communities | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| M-7 | Provide EV charging stations at public parking facilities and on- and off-street locations | Long: >5 years | |
| M-8 | Conduct a local multimodal and micromobility connectivity study that identifies options for increasing bike/ped connectivity, accessibility, and safety improvements | Short: 1-2 years | |
| M-9 | Implement procurement policies for City-owned vehicles and contracted service vehicles that require low- or zero-carbon options | Short: 1-2 years | |
| M-10 | Assess transportation network elements for flood risk and other resilience concerns, and implement elevation/protection improvements as needed | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| M-11 | Advocate for transformational transit electrification and provision of regional rail on the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line, and expansions (additional stations, lines, and intraregional connections) | Long: >5 years | |
Preserving and enhancing our local biodiversity, tree canopy, water quality, beaches and shorelines, wildlife, and recreational open spaces.
| Action | Description | Project Duration | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| NR-1 | Create an inventory, planting, and management plan of all City trees that prioritizes increased tree coverage in high-heat areas and planting of native species | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| NR-2 | Launch an awareness campaign on local natural resources and recreation options, to cultivate respect and a sense of stewardship for the environment | Short: 1-2 years | |
| NR-3 | Create a municipal planting policy that requires native species that are well suited for anticipated climate changes and support pollinators | Short: 1-2 years | |
| NR-4 | Educate private landowners, engineers, and developers on flood management through wetland restoration, wide buffer zones, and maintenance driven best management practices | Short: 1-2 years | |
| NR-5 | Update wetlands ordinances and/or Floodplain Overlay District Ordinance to protect future flood zones | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| NR-6 | Analyze opportunities for open space preservation, enhancement, and acquisition of private parcels with high natural and recreational values | Long: >5 years | |
| NR-7 | Encourage sustainable landscaping practices through incentives, education, and volunteer opportunities | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| NR-8 | Research, and find opportunities to install, alternatives to impervious surfaces and hardscapes in the city | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| NR-9 | Use green infrastructure and Low Impact Development (LID) in public open spaces and on other municipal properties | Long: >5 years | |
| NR-10 | Create a public education program about water conservation and water quality protection to reduce per capita consumption | Short: 1-2 years | |
Preparing our communities for emergencies while improving community health through better air quality and access to health care, wellness programs, and healthy foods.
| Action | Description | Project Duration | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHS-1 | Expand the "cooling capacity" of Beverly and Salem through investments in heat-reducing infrastructure and materials, as well as cooling initiatives | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| PHS-2 | Develop neighborhood resilience hubs to coordinate and maintain resident well-being as climate impacts intensify | Short: 1-2 years | |
| PHS-3 | Ensure that Internet is accessible throughout Beverly and Salem, particularly in limited-access and low-income neighborhoods | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| PHS-4 | Work with businesses/industry to improve response to extreme weather events and minimize operational downtime | Long: >5 years | |
| PHS-5 | Assess gaps or restrictions in zoning codes to overcome any land use restrictions to healthier food options | Short: 1-2 years | |
| PHS-6 | Support municipal and community gardens and urban farming | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| PHS-7 | Develop a pest and vector-borne disease management and communications plan | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| PHS-8 | Launch a multi-lingual, multi-media education/awareness campaign around public health and safety risks associated with climate change, and support household-level emergency planning and preparedness efforts, particularly in vulnerable communities | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| PHS-9 | Make citywide emergency communications and notification systems accessible to all residents for a range of climate-events | Short: 1-2 years | |
| PHS-10 | Identify all hazardous material storage locations at risk from flooding and assess flood protection options | Short: 1-2 years | |
Educating and delivering effective waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting programs and policies.
| Action | Description | Project Duration | Action Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| SW-1 | Implement an educational campaign to encourage residents and businesses to reduce and reuse as the highest priority; and to clarify what can be recycled and how | Short: 1-2 years | |
| SW-2 | Increase low-cost and publicly accessible collection, reuse, sharing, and recycling opportunities through swap shops, book swaps, community yard sales, repair clinics, shredding events, and collection events for hard-to-recycle waste streams | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| SW-3 | Work with local restaurants and other businesses to reduce packaging and use of single-use polystyrene or plastics for products they sell/deliver, and to ensure that containers and packaging used by businesses are reusable, recyclable or compostable to the maximum extent possible | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| SW-4 | Develop mandatory recycling ordinance for all waste generators and mandatory recycling regulation for private haulers to ensure recycling/composting in multi-family residences and commercial establishments | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| SW-5 | Measure and track metrics related to waste management and communicate information publicly to encourage improvement | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| SW-6 | Expand curbside composting, support and educate residents on food waste reduction and home composting, and provide residents access to drop-off composting | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| SW-7 | Develop a comprehensive program for all municipal buildings and public schools that prioritizes waste reduction and maximizes opportunities for reuse, recycling, and composting, with a strong educational component to ensure successful implementation | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| SW-8 | Increase dedicated staff time for enforcement of existing waste policies and introduce enforcement mechanisms for new ordinances | Medium: 3-5 years | |
| SW-9 | Expand sustainable purchasing programs within both cities | Short: 1-2 years | |
| SW-10 | Require significant municipal and community events to achieve (near) zero waste. Develop and distribute guidance | Long: >5 years | |
You don't have to wait on your City government - you can start taking action today! The Climate Action Toolkits bring together tips, how-to guides, and financial resources to help you, as a resident or business in Beverly or Salem, prepare for climate change. You can reduce your utility bills and plan for the future, while also helping your neighbors and communities to thrive, by lowering your carbon footprint, reducing waste, conserving resources, and investing in our local economy.
Check out the Climate Action Toolkit for Residents and the Climate Action Toolkit for Businesses.
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