The Holyoke Public Safety Committee on Nov. 25 approved a resolution adopting an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan that FEMA has signed off on, a step city staff said is required to remain eligible for federal hazard mitigation and flood‑mitigation grants.

Yoni, the city’s director of conservation and sustainability, told the committee the two‑year update — funded by a FEMA grant awarded in early 2024 and prepared with consultant Resilient Land & Water — reorganizes the city’s risk assessment and sets new mitigation priorities. "We've completed the plan. We sent it to them for review ... and now, they finally approved the plan," Yoni said.

The plan inventories Holyoke’s infrastructure and hazards, ranks risks such as extreme temperatures, flooding and tropical storms, and for the first time treats invasive species — including water chestnut and emerald ash borer — as hazards that affect public safety and infrastructure. Yoni said the plan includes a mitigation action table of 41 priority projects identifying responsible entities, from HG&E and the Department of Public Works to the fire department and Holyoke Water Works.

Councilors praised staff for the work. Councilor Patty Devine noted the grant that funded the update appeared to be roughly $26,800 and said the amount seemed small for the effort. David Murphy, the consultant who helped prepare the plan, said he was available to answer technical or grant‑related questions and to help finalize the resolution’s language.

The committee moved to approve the resolution accompanying the plan and voted by roll call to adopt it. Councilors Patty Devine, Israel Rivera and Chair Jenny Rivera recorded "yes" votes on the committee roll call, and the resolution will be forwarded to the full city council as the local adoption step following FEMA’s approval.

Adoption does not itself authorize specific projects or spending; it makes the city eligible to apply for programs such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and Flood Mitigation Assistance program. City staff said substantive changes to the plan can be made later through the document’s established amendment process.