WITH THE SWEEPING federal funding cuts for climate projects and moves by the Trump administration to roll back environmental protections, the leaders of 17 municipalities in the Greater Boston area came together on Monday to renew their commitment to working together on regional climate initiatives over the next decade. 

The coalition of mayors and city managers signed a commitment to advocate for climate resilience, more clean energy on the grid, decarbonizing buildings, and electrifying transportation with a regional strategy. 

“While this federal administration trades the truth for profits, we will continue showing the nation that we are still fighting for a better, brighter future,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, at the Museum of Science where the signing took place. “This work is going to take all of us because the climate crisis doesn’t care about city limits, but especially because it is city leaders who get things done. … Day by day, community by community, we are holding ourselves accountable to the results that our constituents need to see for this generation and the ones to come.” 

The coalition includes leaders from Arlington, Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Melrose, Medford, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, Watertown, and Winthrop. These communities are all a part of a group called Metro Mayors Coalition, which was founded 25 years ago with the support of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council in order to promote information exchange and regional problem solving. 

The group signed a climate commitment in 2016 to set the goal of rapidly reducing carbon pollution to become a net-zero region by 2050. At the time 14 cities and towns signed on.  

Since then, the group has established an inter-governmental climate task force to work with federal and state agencies, and local nonprofits on climate mitigation and adaptation work. The cities and towns have adopted a variety of policies and actions, like adopting greener energy building codes and expanding the placement of infrastructure for electric vehicles. 

“Over the last 10 years, you have been leaders and now you’re going to make a commitment for the next 10 years, setting an example for the rest of our nation,” said US Sen. Ed Markey, addressing the coalition on Monday. “And [with] this commitment of net zero for local resilience planning, our cities and towns are shepherding strong climate action and have set bold principles to set a strong example for the rest of the nation and the rest of the world. It shows what can be done.” 

Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn brought up an ongoing effort to upgrade the Amelia Earhart Dam, which sits on the Mystic River between Somerville and Everett. It is at risk of potentially failing in the next 10 to 20 years, which will result in major flooding in more than seven different communities, according to Lungo-Koehn. “It’s a must that we work together regionally,” she said.  

Lungo-Koehn said that funding from the state and federal government is crucial to complete this and other area projects, “It’s [our] federal delegation and the state delegation that are equipping us with the funds that we need, especially with what’s going on at the federal level in our new administration. It’s the fighters that are fighting for us to be able to give us the funds to do this great work.” 

Communities around Massachusetts are feeling the cuts to climate funding. The Environmental Protection Agency cut $20 million in grant funding that was supposed to go towards improving air quality in Springfield – a city with one of the highest rates of asthma in the country.  

“It’s no surprise that Trump will go to any length, including by denying federal dollars to communities to prevent states like us, to prevent the communities that are right here today from continuing their work to end our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Markey. “This administration’s reign of chaos and despair comes from a place of cowardice because the oil and gas industry is afraid of what you all represent: this transition to a clean, renewable, sustainable future for our country led by what we are doing here in Massachusetts.” 

Chelsea is grappling with the loss of $50 million in federal money that would have funded a big part of the $120 million flood resilience project for the Island End River. The Island End River generates dramatic flooding during serious coastal storms, sending water rushing over the nearby roadways, commercial, and industrial sites.  

“I’m not sure if we’re going to be able to continue this project,” said Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez. “We, of course, are not taking this lying down. We’re going to fight tooth and nail for our future, but any support that can be given as a region would be appreciated.” 

Rebecca Tepper, the state secretary of energy and environmental affairs, said at the event on Monday that the state is committed to helping municipalities in their climate resiliency and decarbonization efforts. She particularly flagged the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program, which provides grant funding for cities and towns for climate change resiliency. 

“It really is vitally important that climate work…starts from the bottom up,” said Tepper. “Part of our role [as the state] is to make sure that you [the municipalities] have the resources and the information that you need to move forward with your projects.”