A crucial initiative aimed at safeguarding residents and businesses in Chelsea and Everett from flooding is facing significant jeopardy following the withdrawal of a major federal grant earlier this month.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has rescinded its $50 million grant meant for the Island End River Coastal Flood Resilience Project. This project is designed to construct an above-ground flood wall intended to prevent flooding from the riverbanks, alongside plans for restoring the ecological balance of the marshes adjacent to the Mystic River.
With the project estimated to cost a total of $120 million, the withdrawal of FEMA’s funding leaves local leaders scrambling to explore alternative funding options in hopes of still executing this essential infrastructure improvement.
The area that stands to be directly affected by potential flooding includes critical facilities such as a produce processing center responsible for supplying a large portion of the Northeast, Chelsea High School, a Market Basket supermarket, and significant transportation conduits, including Route 1, Route 16, and respected commuter rail lines. Local advocates and officials emphasize that the ramifications of severe flooding would extend far beyond the immediate impact on residents.
Roseann Bongiovanni, the leader of GreenRoots, a Chelsea-based environmental advocacy organization, expressed deep concern about the project’s future, asserting it is “nearly impossible” to see the initiative through without federal funding.
The project manager for Chelsea, Emily Granoff, echoed these sentiments, highlighting that delays in the project could adversely affect not only the 5,000 residents in Chelsea and Everett but also disrupt the livelihood of the entire region.
She pointed to the New England Produce Center in Chelsea as a facility in peril, located near the shoreline and particularly vulnerable to flooding. If a significant flood were to damage this facility, it could imperil access to essential fresh produce for the region.
Granoff also noted that commuters from the North Shore would encounter huge challenges traveling into Boston, given the likelihood of interruptions to major roads and the commuter rail system in the event of flooding.
“There are so many people who don’t know about it who are relying on the infrastructure in this area to get to work, to get home, to buy groceries. And it’s critical that we find a way to continue constructing this barrier — and Everett and Chelsea can’t do that on our own. We’re very low-income communities,” she stated.
The FEMA program, known as Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, launched during President Donald Trump’s initial term, faced complete cancellation earlier this month, removing several hundred millions in allocated funds earmarked for infrastructure projects across the nation, including $90 million designated for Massachusetts.
In an official statement, Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez emphasized the importance of the project, highlighting that Chelsea is an environmental justice community that contributes significantly to the region’s essential infrastructure and services. He urged the current administration to reconsider and restore this vital investment to help frontline communities.
Those advocating for the project have pointed out that failing to complete it will inevitably lead to greater expenses down the line, potentially costing taxpayers far more than the initial investment.
Nasser Brahim, director of climate resilience at the Mystic River Watershed Association, stated, “The Trump administration has been really focused, in rhetoric at least, on reducing waste, fraud and abuse. This project is the pinnacle example of government efficiency. Spending a relatively small amount of money to avoid a very large amount of money and costs in the future — protecting economic development, small businesses, and people from flooding that could happen anytime.”
According to a 2022 analysis, areas in Chelsea and Everett may experience flooding on par with that of Hurricane Sandy as frequently as once every year within the next fifty years.
Estimates suggest that in a disaster scenario, damages could reach approximately $3.6 billion. Advocates argue that while investing $120 million in the project seems substantial, it is significantly less than the potential costs of disaster recovery, emphasizing that it’s thirty times cheaper than the projected damages.
image source from：https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-04-17/so-critical-chelsea-everett-lose-50m-in-fema-dollars-to-prevent-flooding
