March 10, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The City of Holyoke has experienced multiple natural hazard events over the last few years, from heavy rain and flooding to extreme heat events, and from windstorms to winter storms that may lead to power outages. These events serve as continuous reminders of the risks posed by natural disasters. The City has maintained a natural hazard mitigation plan for many years, with updates approximately once every five years. The City updated the plan over the past few months to produce a “Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan” for Holyoke. The plan outlines a set of approximately 40 actions that can be taken to reduce losses of property and life due to natural disasters like floods, severe wind events, winter storms, wildfires, droughts, extreme heat events, earthquakes, and invasive species.
The Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for Holyoke will continue to make the City eligible for hazard mitigation assistance grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The new draft is available at https://www.holyoke.org/hazard-mitigation-plan/. Past planning efforts related to climate change can be reviewed at the City’s web site (www.holyoke.org/conservation-municipal-vulnerability-preparedness-in-holyoke/).
A public information session is scheduled for March 26, 2025. The meeting will be held at the Holyoke Public Library (250 Chestnut Street, Holyoke) in the Community Room at 6:00 PM. The Holyoke Public Library is located on the PVTA bus routes P20, P21, P21E, B23, R24, X90.
Comments related to the draft Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan should be provided to the Conservation Department by March 28, 2025.