THIS SPACE RESERVED FOR PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE INSERTED. ADDITIONAL HISTORIC PHOTOS/FIGURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE INSERTED WITHIN THE RISK ASSESSMENT SECTION ** DRAFT ** TOWN OF PERU HAZARD MITIGATION AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLAN August 10, 2021 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The development of this Peru Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan has been made possible with financial support from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and administered by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The Town would like to thank the unerring support and guidance provided by MEMA’s hazard mitigation staff throughout this planning process. The Town of Peru would like to thank the members of the Peru Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee, who served as the advisory committee for this planning effort. The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission provided technical assistance to the Town and the Planning Committee throughout the planning and approval processes 2 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION…………………………………….………………………………………………………………..…….…4 CHAPTER 2: PLANNING PROCESS…………………………………………………………………………………………….….......... 7 CHAPTER 3: RISK ASSESSMENT…………..……………………………………………………………………………….…………….. 10 CHAPTER 4: MITIGATION STRATEGY…….……………………………..……………………………………………………......... 103 CHAPTER 5: PLAN ADOPTION……….………..………………………………………………………………………..………………. 113 CHAPTER 6: PLAN MAINTENANCE………………………………………………………………………………………..…………... 114 APPENDICES……………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………..….. 117 APPENDIX A: PUBLIC SURVERY RESULTS APPENDIX B: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION DOCUMENTATION 3 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Purpose The purpose of hazard mitigation planning is to reduce or eliminate the need to respond to hazardous conditions that threaten human life and property. Hazard mitigation can be an action, activity, process, or physical project designed to reduce or eliminate the long-term risks from hazards. The Town of Peru Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan (HMCAP) was prepared in order to meet the requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 44 CFR § 201.6 pertaining to local hazard mitigation plans. Title 44 CFR § 201.6(a)(1) states that “a local government must have a mitigation plan approved pursuant to this section in order to receive hazard mitigation project grants. A local government must have a mitigation plan approved pursuant to this section in order to apply for and receive mitigation project grants under all other mitigation grant programs.” The Town’s eligibility for FEMA’s hazard mitigation grants is crucial. The defined mission for the Town of Peru Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan is to identify risks, eliminate or reduce the loss of life, property, infrastructure and natural resources of the Town from disasters and climate change, and to develop sustainable cost-effective actions to mitigate those risks and the impacts of natural hazards. In accordance with Title 44 CFR § 201.6 the local mitigation plan is the representation of the Town’s commitment to reduce risks from natural hazards, serving as a guide for decision makers as they commit resources to reducing the effects of natural hazards. Additionally, the HMP is meant to serve as the basis for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide technical assistance and to prioritize project funding. Background Fig. 1.1. Location of Peru within Massachusetts The Town of Peru is a small rural community located in east-central Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It is surrounded to the north by the town of Windsor, to the east by Cummington and Worthington, to the south by Middlefield and Washington, and to the west by Hinsdale. The Town of Peru covers an area of approximately 26 square miles (~16,663 acres). The center of the Town is located along the top of the Berkshire Range, with Source: BRPC 2021. relatively high elevations located throughout the Town, resulting in temperatures that are five to eight degrees cooler than the valley towns of the county. The Peru Town Hall has the distinction of being the highest town hall in elevation in Massachusetts. The Peru First Congregational Church at the center of the Town sits atop the dividing ridgeline that separates two major watersheds: the western portion of the Town drains into the Housatonic River Watershed while the eastern portion of the Town drains into the Westfield River Watershed. High elevation wetlands are found along the plateau area from the North Road / East Main Road intersection eastward. Peru’s elevation over its neighbors, the rolling terrain and winding country roads define the Town’s character and the independence of its inhabitants. 4 Fig. 1.2. Topographical Map of Peru Source: BRPC, 2021. Fig. 1.3. The Peru First Congregational Church sits atop the divide that separates the Housatonic and Westfield River Watersheds. The Town Hall and Highway Garage is located just to the east of this site. Source: Town of Peru, 2021. 5 Mitigation Planning History This HMCAP is the Town of Peru’s first effort at hazard mitigation or climate change adaptation planning. The Town has conducted local and regional emergency preparedness planning through the coordinated efforts of the Central Berkshire Regional Emergency Planning Committee (REPC). 6 CHAPTER 2: PLANNING PROCESS 44 CFR § 201.6(b) & 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(1) Introduction This chapter outlines the development of the Town of Peru’s HMCAP. It identifies who was involved in the process, how they were involved, and the methods of public participation that were employed. An open public involvement process during the drafting stage was essential to the development of the HMP. A discussion of how the community will continue public participation in the plan maintenance process (44 CFR § 201.6(c)(4)(iii)) will be discussed in Chapter 4. The Town retained the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) to aid them in developing the HMCAP and the MVP Plan. The Peru HMCAP is a compilation of data collected by BRPC, information gathered from the Peru Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (the Planning Committee) during meetings, and interviews conducted with key stakeholders outside of working meetings. The Plan reflects comments provided by the Planning Committee, local officials and citizens, neighboring towns, and ultimately MEMA and FEMA. Planning Meetings and Participation 44 CFR § 201.6(c)(1) During the planning process there was opportunity for public comment and the opportunity for neighboring communities, local and regional agencies or partners involved in hazard mitigation activities, and agencies that have the authority to regulate development, as well as businesses, academia and other private and non-profit interests to be involved in the planning process. Making the document available to the public for review meets requirements of 44 CFR § 201.6(b)(1), and solicitation of comment from neighboring towns meets requirements of 44 CFR § 201.6(b)(2), pertaining to involvement of regional partners in the planning process. See Appendices for documentation. In February 2021 the Town of Peru formed the Planning Committee to develop the HMCAP. A grant from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) made this comprehensive mitigation and climate change planning process feasible. Members of the Planning Committee include town department heads, Town Boards and representatives from the citizenry. The Planning Committee members are listed in Table 2.1. The Planning Committee held a series of meetings to assemble data on the Town’s infrastructure, identify known hazards to residents and review existing plans, procedures, bylaws and protections already in place. The Planning Committee met five times between February and June 2021, with all meetings open to the public and publicly posted in accordance with the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. All meetings were held via Zoom technology due to the restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. 7 Table 2.1. Peru Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee Name Affiliation Bruce Cullet Peru Selectman, Peru Police Chief Verne Leach Peru Selectman, Peru Volunteer Fire Fighter Kim Leach Peru Town Clerk Sam Haupt Peru Planning Board, Peru Zoning Board of Appeals, Peru Vol. Fire Fighter, Peru Finance Committee Justin Russell Peru Highway Foreman Caleb Mitchell Peru Town Administrator Lauren Gaherty BRPC Mark Maloy BRPC Emily Lange BRPC In an effort to reach as many residents as possible, the Town issued a public survey that asked respondent to describe the natural hazards that they had experienced and the concerns that worry them most about hazard events, including climate change impacts. The survey, which was offered online and in paper form was open for three months, during which the Town received a total of 42 responses. The Town promoted the survey and the planning process by placing notices on the Town’s main web page and its Facebook feed, through half-page color flyers handed out at the Peru transfer station, through newsletter articles and through letters sent to the Town’s small number of businesses. The project and continued solicitation for citizen input were further promoted through a set of five featured articles in the Peru Live Wire, a monthly citizen newsletter that covers upcoming events and topics of interest relevant to Peru and its neighbors. The articles explained the hazard mitigation planning process, promoted the public survey, presented major findings, and encouraged residents to review and comment on