Welcome to CZ-Mail, the monthly electronic newsletter from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). Each issue provides information on major CZM initiatives, available tools and publications, upcoming workshops and events, grants, contracting opportunities, job openings, and other news of interest to people working on coastal issues. Additional information about CZM’s programs, publications, and other coastal topics can be found on the CZM website. To subscribe to CZ-Mail, send a blank email (please be sure that the email is completely blank, with no signature line) to join-env-czmail@listserv.state.ma.us. Also, feel free to share CZ-Mail with colleagues and friends—and if you have any suggestions for future editions or would like to make a change to your subscription, email your request to CZ-Mail@mass.gov. For periodic updates from CZM between CZ-Mail editions, follow us on Twitter/X.
All links on this web page were current and working on the date of publication.
Highlights
The House of the Seven Gables Project Receives Sustainability Award - In June, the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) presented The House of the Seven Gables project team with a CNU Charter Award in sustainability for their work to adapt this historic building campus to increased flooding risks. The Gables project received CZM Coastal Resilience Grant funding and technical assistance in 2022-2024 to develop the 50-year climate adaptation plan that includes short-term site improvements and decision points for long-term actions, which could serve as a model for historic sites vulnerable to sea level rise and increased precipitation. The CNU award recognizes the project’s use of block-scale urbanism, which focuses on the urban block as the fundamental planning unit to emphasize interconnectedness of buildings, streets, and public spaces. For additional details, see:
- Block-scale urbanism adapts historic campus to climate change - Public Square, 5/20/25
- Project video - Union Studio Architecture & Community Design, 6/17/25
Nantucket Coastal Conference - On June 10, the 4th biennial Nantucket Coastal Conference was held at the Green Harbor Yacht Club on Nantucket, with a focus on local planning, coastal resilience, and retreat. The conference, which attracted more than 130 participants from coastal Massachusetts, included a keynote address from CZM Director Alison Brizius and sessions that featured diverse panels and experts from the region. This free conference is a partnership between CZM, the Town of Nantucket, Barnstable County, and Woods Hole Sea Grant. See the Woods Hole Sea Grant website for links to conference presentations.
Seeking Local Cleanup Coordinators for COASTSWEEP 2025 - From late August into November, thousands of volunteers in Massachusetts turn out for COASTSWEEP, the statewide beach cleanup sponsored by CZM. COASTSWEEP is part of the International Coastal Cleanup organized by the Ocean Conservancy, with participants from all over the world collecting trash and other marine debris and recording data to help reduce marine debris problems. In Massachusetts, local coordinators choose a cleanup location (beach, marsh, dive site, and riverbank), publicize the event locally, receive supplies and distribute materials to volunteers, oversee the cleanup, arrange for proper trash disposal, and ensure data are collected (either through the mobile app or on data cards)—all with support from CZM. For more information on getting involved as a cleanup coordinator or volunteer, see Sign Up to Volunteer for COASTSWEEP.
CZM Staff and People
BUAR/CZM Intern - In June, the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources (BUAR) and CZM welcomed Hannah Aronson as a Summer Intern. With the support of the Priscilla King Gray Summer Fellowship—which is co-funded and administered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Department of Urban Studies and Planning and the MIT Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center—Hannah will be working on an important final phase of an assessment of the vulnerability of cultural resources to sea level rise, erosion, and flooding along the Massachusetts coast. This Project of Special Merit is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Specifically, Hannah is assisting BUAR and CZM with coordinating, conducting, and synthesizing information from a series of meetings with coastal communities, the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs, and Indigenous communities within the Commonwealth. Hannah is currently a Master’s degree candidate in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. Welcome aboard Hannah!
Grants/Funding/Proposal Opportunities
Statewide Voluntary Flood Buyout and Elevation Program Feasibility Study - The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is seeking bidders to provide a comprehensive, multifaceted analysis to determine the feasibility, effectiveness, potential impacts, and organization of a statewide voluntary flood buyout and elevation program that best fits the Commonwealth’s government structure and best supports coastal and riverine cities and towns, with a focus on equity and communities with environmental justice and other priority populations. This study is a priority action of the ResilientMass Plan: 2023 Massachusetts State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan and builds on the data and goals of both the ResilientMass and ResilientCoasts Plans. For more information, see the Request for Responses on the COMMBUYS website. Responses are due by July 8 at 11:00 a.m.
Waste Reduction Innovation Grants - The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is seeking applications for Waste Reduction Innovation Grants to support eligible businesses, start-ups, and nonprofit organizations to fund new technology that expands recycling and reuse infrastructure in Massachusetts. Applicants should apply to one of two categories: start-up and pilot projects or capital infrastructure investments. For details on the eligibility criteria, grant guidelines, and application information, see the MassDEP website. Applications are due by July 15.
SNEP Community Assistance Projects - The Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Network is seeking applications for free, community-based, technical, financial, and training assistance for stormwater management, ecological restoration, and climate resiliency planning projects. Municipalities, Tribes, and nonprofits are eligible to apply for a number of training and technical assistance services—see the full list of services (PDF, 78 KB). Office hours to discuss specific project ideas will be available to Massachusetts communities and organizations during the week of July 14. Sign up for a 15-minute appointment. Additional details, including application instructions, are available on the SNEP website. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on August 1.
Port Infrastructure Development Program - The U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking applications for up to $500 million in funding for the Fiscal Year 2025 Port Infrastructure Development Program to supports projects that improve the safety, efficiency, reliability, and capacity of the movement of goods in U.S. ports. State, county, Tribal, special district, and city governments are eligible to apply. For more information, see Grants.gov. Applications are due by September 10.
Online Tools and Resources
Massachusetts Environmental Education Portal - Keep Massachusetts Beautiful has launched the Massachusetts Environmental Education Portal, a new online library that includes content and lessons for students in grades K-12 on litter, plastic pollution, recycling, composting, and more. If you have suggestions for additional content to be featured in the portal, please connect with Keep Massachusetts Beautiful through their Contact Us page.
Newsletters and Other Periodicals
Coastal Impacts - The May 2025 issue of Coastal Impacts, the newsletter of Woods Hole Sea Grant, includes stories on eelgrass restoration efforts in Massachusetts, a field trip to Woods Hole by Falmouth middle school students, and other Woods Hole Sea Grant news, updates, and education opportunities.
Ocean Insights - The June 5, 2025, issue of Ocean Insights, the email newsletter from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), includes items on the connections between the land, sea, and blue economy in Ghana; using microbes to diagnose coral reef health; and other WHOI news and updates.
Jobs/Internships
Environmental Planner - The City of Newburyport is seeking an Environmental Planner to provide support, coordination, and professional management of the city’s Conservation Commission, including administration of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and the Newburyport Wetlands Ordinance. The planner will also assist with the oversight of conservation properties managed by the Conservation Commission and support or directly lead various projects, programs, or initiatives related to the city’s long-term sustainability and resilience goals. For details, see the job posting (PDF, 210 KB).
Senior Planner - The Town of Swampscott is seeking a Senior Planner to work directly with the Director of Community and Economic Development and oversee the built and natural environment through coordination with the Conservation Commission, Historic District Commission, Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals. The position will involve all aspects of land use planning, including zoning, site planning, energy efficiency, growth management, and long- and short-term development planning. For details, see the job listing (PDF, 193 KB).
Environmental Planner - The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC) is seeking an Environmental Planner to support the MVPC Environmental Program, which focuses on inland water resources, coastal resources, land use, and climate/clean energy. For more information, see the position posting (PDF, 150 KB).
Calendar - Individual Events and Announcements
Barnstable Land Trust Annual Meeting - July 15, annual meeting of the Barnstable Land Trust to be held at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable with a virtual option.
AWRA 2025 Annual Water Resources Conference—Call for Abstracts - November 10-12, conference sponsored by American Water Resources Association (AWRA) to be held in Westminster, Colorado. Abstracts are due by July 25.
International Sand Sculpting Festival - July 25-27, annual festival at Revere Beach.
Northeast IECA Conference and Expo—Call for Abstracts - November 3-5, event sponsored by the Northeast Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) with the theme “Save the Soil, Protect the Water” to be held in Westborough. Abstracts are due by July 31.
Teacher Training on Water Quality Issues - August 14, K-12 teacher training from the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) on watersheds, the water cycle, water pollution, drinking water and wastewater treatment, and stormwater management to be held at the Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Winthrop.
National Coastal Conference 2025—Call for Poster Abstracts - October 7-10, conference on coastal science, technology, and policy with the theme “Coasts on the Leading Edge: Bridging Science, Policy and Community” sponsored by the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association to be held in Long Beach, California. Posters abstracts are due by August 15.
EBC Leadership Program: Deanna Moran, Chief Coastal Resilience Officer, Commonwealth of Massachusetts - September 17, leadership briefing from the Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC) with the lead for CZM’s ResilientCoasts initiative to be held in Boston.
Fisheries & Benthic Monitoring TechSurge - October 8-9, conference from the Marine Technology Society (in partnership with Rhode Island Sea Grant and the University of Rhode Island and in collaboration with the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance and the Northeast Regional Ocean Council) exploring advancements in seafloor monitoring technologies and practices that support responsible offshore development to be held in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Calendar - Multiple/Ongoing Events
APCC Events - Free virtual events on landscaping, gardening, and more from the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC). Recordings of previous webinars are available.
Barnstable Land Trust Events - Programs for children and adults across Barnstable.
Boat Safety Course - Free, in-person course from the Massachusetts Environmental Police held in Commonwealth communities. This course will meet the mandatory boater education for all motorized vessel operators that will be required in Massachusetts beginning April 1, 2026.
Boston Harbor Islands Events - Upcoming events and activities in the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.
Boston Harbor Now Events - Events throughout the Boston Harbor area.
Buzzards Bay Events - Regional events compiled by the Buzzards Bay Coalition.
Cape Cod Bird Club Walks and Activities - Free birdwatching field trips across Cape Cod.
Cape Cod Field Schools - Multi-day field courses offered by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
Cape Cod Maritime Museum Events - Upcoming events and lectures for all ages at the museum in Hyannis. Links to recordings of past lectures are also posted.
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History Programs - A calendar of events at the museum in Brewster.
Center for Coastal Studies Events - Events and summer educational programs across the Cape Cod region.
CERF Webinar Series - Monthly webinars from the Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). Recordings of previous webinars available to CERF members.
Charles River Watershed Events - Events throughout the watershed compiled by the Charles River Watershed Association.
Chatham Conservation Foundation Events - Activities and events across Chatham.
Clean Water Events in Barnstable - Activities and events from the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition, including Clean Water Wednesdays with monthly educational lectures on water quality issues held at Cape Cod Beer in Hyannis.
Climate Adaptation Webinars - Webinars on climate change, adaptation, and resilience from the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with links to Archived Webinars.
Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action - Monthly webinars from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on national policy action on climate change. Recordings of past webinars are also available.
Conservation Commission Education - Workshops, webinars, and trainings scheduled across Massachusetts and posted by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC). See the MACC Complete Education Catalog and Events Calendar.
Dam Busters 201 Webinars Series - Lunchtime webinars on dam safety, dam removal financing, and community engagement in Massachusetts sponsored by the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, and Charles River Watershed Association, with links to past webinars and related material.
Ecological Landscaping Events - Webinars, classes, and events from the Ecological Landscape Alliance.
Friends of Herring River Events - Upcoming Herring River watershed events in Truro and Wellfleet.
Healthy and Resilient Communities Research Webinar Series - Periodic community resilience webinars from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for local decision makers, with links to Past Webinar Recordings.
Ipswich River Watershed Events - Events throughout the watershed compiled by the Ipswich River Watershed Association.
Keep Massachusetts Beautiful Events - Talks and volunteer opportunities across the Commonwealth on litter prevention and cleanup, waste reduction and recycling, beautification and community greening, and environmental education. See the Great Massachusetts Cleanup page for community-wide litter cleanups and park maintenance opportunities.
Lloyd Center for the Environment Activities - Birding and nature walks and other activities for all ages at the Lloyd Center in Dartmouth.
Marion Natural History Museum Programs - Community and summer programs at the museum in Marion.
Mass Audubon Program Catalog - Programs for children and adults hosted at the following Mass Audubon coastal locations:
- Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary
- Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
- Joppa Flats Education Center
- Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary
- North River Wildlife Sanctuary
- Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Mudflat Mania - Hikes to Cape Cod Bay to explore the Brewster sand flats led by the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History through August 29.
Mystic River Watershed Events - Events throughout the watershed compiled by the Mystic River Watershed Association.
Nantucket Conservation Foundation Events - Activities and events across Nantucket.
National Marine Sanctuaries Webinars - Webinars hosted by the sanctuary system. See Past Webinar Recordings for descriptions of and links to previous webinars.
Native Plant Trust Events - Classes, field studies, and webinars across Massachusetts.
Neponset River Watershed Events - Events throughout the watershed compiled by the Neponset River Watershed Association.
New England Aquarium Events - Upcoming events, lectures, and programs at the New England Aquarium. Recordings of past lectures are available on the Aquarium Lecture Series page.
NEWMOA Events - Upcoming webinars and events from the Northeast Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA). Past presentations are also available.
NOAA Coastal Training and Learning Resources - A range of training opportunities from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Digital Coast. Also see the Training Catalog for links to on-demand resources.
NOAA Planet Stewards Events - Webinars, workshops, and book club sessions from the NOAA Planet Stewards Education Project. See the Webinar Archives for links to selected presentations.
NOAA Science Seminars - Webinars and seminars on science and climate issues from several NOAA partners. Past seminars are catalogued and available.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Technical Exchange Webinars - Periodic webinars from EPA on a variety of nonpoint source pollution topics, with links to previous webinars.
North and South Rivers Watershed Association Events - Event listings on the South Shore.
Northeast Monthly Climate Updates - Free webinars from the Northeast Regional Climate Center to address timely weather and climate concerns. Recordings of previous webinars are also available, along with PDF copies of presentation materials.
OCTO Webinars - Periodic webinars on ocean topics from Open Communications for the Ocean (OCTO), with links to past webinars.
Salem Sound Coastwatch Events - Activities and events posted in the Salem Sound region.
Soak Up the Rain New England Webinar Series - Periodic webinars from EPA that highlight innovative ways to address stormwater, with links to Past Webcasts.
Sound in the Sea Webinars - Webinars on underwater sound hosted by the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography. See the Webinar Archives for links to past presentations.
Stone Living Lab Events - Free climate-focused events around Boston Harbor from the Stone Living Lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Summer Professional Teacher Development - Opportunities for K-12 educators and administrators from the Wade Institute for Science Education.
Trustees Activities - Programs and activities at The Trustees of Reservations properties across the Commonwealth.
Walks, Talks, & Events in Orleans - Guided walks, programs, and talks from the Orleans Conservation Trust.
Walks & Events in Harwich - Birding and nature walks from the Harwich Conservation Trust.
Waquoit Bay Reserve Programs - Activities for kids and adults from the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Westport River Watershed Alliance Events - Events presented by the Westport River Watershed Alliance.
Other Items of Interest
Survey on Climate Change Preparedness and Resilience Grant Programs - The School for the Environment and the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston are currently conducting a survey to help assess the CZM Coastal Resilience Grants and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Planning and Action Grants. Feedback is needed from partners who have received funding as well as from those who have not received or not applied for funding to guide the evaluation of these programs. Survey findings will contribute to publications and inform the CZM and MVP grant programs. While the survey asks for your name and organization, that information will not be shared beyond the UMass Boston research team. To participate, see the online survey, which should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Funding for this work comes from the Sea Grant Law Center. Please contact John Duff at john.duff@umb.edu with any questions or comments. The survey is open through July 31.
Waquoit Bay Reserve At-Risk Cultural Treasures Survey - The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Office of Cultural Resources and the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) are conducting a survey to seek input on preparing the buildings and landscapes of the reserve in Falmouth for climate change, while protecting the unique features of these at-risk cultural treasures. The survey focuses on the WBNERR Boat House and Washburn Island. See the online survey, which should take approximately 3 minutes to complete.
Become a Stream Steward - The North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA) is seeking volunteer Stream Stewards to help restore stream flow in local waters and collect data related to the condition and performance of stream crossings. No prior knowledge or skills are needed to participate.
True Blue Fellowship - The Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs is seeking youth ages 13-24 to participate in the True Blue Fellowship to use the creative arts to make change in local communities. Up to $2,500 is available for 10 youth-led projects to safeguard the ocean, waterways, and climate. For more information, see the Bow Seat website. Applications are due by September 1.
Marine Sanctuary Photo Contest - NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is seeking photos for the 2025 Get into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest. Submissions are due by September 1 under the following categories: scenic views, ocean life, and recreation within a National Marine Sanctuary; stewardship activities in your home or neighborhood that connect with a sanctuary; and scenes from around the country and world connecting people and the ocean. Winning photos will be featured in the “Earth Is Blue” social media campaign.