PROVINCETOWN: The Center for Coastal Studies received two Massachusetts grants from the sales of the state’s aquatic-themed specialty license plates which will help the Center fund North Atlantic Right Whale research and continue its commitment to the conservation of large whales and sea turtles.
This week, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a total of $495,321 in grants to 11 programs. The Center was awarded $29,205 to identify locations frequented by North Atlantic right whales and to target management actions in those places. In concert with the Division of Marine Fisheries, the Center also was awarded $200,000 to continue the Massachusetts Large Whale and Sea Turtle Conservation Program, an intensive effort to protect, restore and manage large whale and sea turtle species found in surrounding Massachusetts state waters.
“Massachusetts has always taken a proactive approach in safeguarding and enhancing our natural resources in order ensure future generations receive the opportunity to experience the wonders of our natural world,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card. “For years the Commonwealth’s environmentally-themed license plates have provided significant financial resources that have advanced the state’s conservation efforts, and invested in protections for our fisheries and wildlife. I encourage those who want to support these efforts to purchase one of these plates.”
The Massachusetts Environmental Trust, which administrates the specialty license program, is an independent grantmaking entity within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The Trust was established in 1988 as part of the Boston Harbor cleanup to support pollution remediation and water quality improvement projects across the Commonwealth. MET operates without tax dollars or legislative appropriations and is governed by a board of trustees appointed by the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. MET is solely funded by the sales of its four environmentally themed license plates: the Right Whale & Roseate Terns Plate, the Leaping Brook Trout Plate, the Blackstone Valley Mill Plate, and the new Striped Bass Conservation Plate.
For more information regarding the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, and the specialty environmental license plates that are offered, please visit MET’s webpage. Additionally, individuals interested in purchasing a license plate from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles can do so by visiting the agency’s webpage.