Did you know Massachusetts children can get a free $50 headstart on their savings for future education costs?

September is College Savings Month, and I’m joining @economicempowermentma in sharing BabySteps, a free resource from the Massachusetts Treasury that provides $50 when you open a MEFA UFund 529 account for your child before their first birthday or adoption anniversary.

Start your college savings early, and your future self will thank you!

Visit mass.gov/BabySteps to learn more.

On behalf of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security (EOPSS), and the Department of Fire Services (DFS), I am pleased to announce that nearly $2 million in funding is being made available for the SAFE and Senior SAFE grant programs for a second time this year.

The grants support trained firefighter-educators who provide fire and life safety education to children and older adults, as well as resources including teaching supplies, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and other safety equipment.

The SAFE program, established in 1995, is correlated with a 79% decline in child fire fatalities and has helped raise a fire-safe generation of Massachusetts residents. The Senior SAFE program, established in 2014, provides fire, carbon monoxide, and other life safety education to older adults through senior centers, Councils on Aging, and home visits, including alarm replacement and fall prevention initiatives.

 Following the transition from a calendar-year to a state fiscal year schedule, this marks the second round of SAFE and Senior SAFE grants awarded in 2026.

• The Notice of Funding Opportunity, grant application, and eligibility requirements are available on the Department of Fire Services’ website. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm on September 29.

As students and educators head back to the classroom, it’s a great time for Massachusetts schools to put environmental education into action with MassDEP’s Green Team!

The Green Team is a free environmental program for K–12 schools that helps students and educators take meaningful action through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, energy conservation, and pollution prevention. Teachers, administrators, school staff, and parent volunteers can register their schools to participate.

Green Team activities give students hands-on ways to make a difference at school and in their communities. Educators can choose from projects such as conducting a school waste audit, starting a composting program, improving recycling, tracking climate-friendly actions, reducing vehicle idling, or tackling cafeteria food waste.

Registered Green Teams also have access to free lesson plans and classroom activities, educational materials, technical assistance, and downloadable recycling and composting signage. Schools may also be eligible to request recycling bins, composters, wheeled carts, vermicomposting worms, and idle-reduction signs and materials.

Make environmental action part of the school year! Sign up forms and free resources can be found at TheGreenTeam.org.

Information on activities and awards from the 2025-2026 school year can be found on MassDEP’s website: https://www.mass.gov/news/massdep-announces-green-team-awards-for-environmental-leadership-in-pk-12-schools.

MassDEP has opened two watershed and water quality management grant programs for application.

Additional information can be found on MassDEP’s website: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/grants-financial-assistance-watersheds-water-quality

Section 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant Program

• Summary: Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act provides grants to determine the nature, extent, and causes of water quality issues and to develop plans to restore or protect water quality pursuant to the Clean Water Act and Massachusetts Surface Water Quality Standards. Awards will assist in the development of Watershed-Based Plans (WBP) – a holistic framework for watershed management that details impaired waters and the plan to address the source of the pollution causing the impairment.
• Eligible Entities: Regional planning agencies, council of governments, counties, conservation districts, cities and towns ,interstate organizations, federally recognized tribes and organizations with state-wide agricultural capacity building experience.
• Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
• Total Available: $1,800,000

Section 319 Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant Program

• Summary: Section 319 of the Clean Water Act provides grants for implementation projects that address the prevention, control, and abatement of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. NPS pollution occurs when rainfall or melting snow picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, such as fertilizers, herbicides, construction sediment, nutrients and bacteria from animal waste, and eventually deposits those pollutants into our lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and ground waters.
• Eligible Entities: any Massachusetts public or private organization: State and Federally Recognized Tribes, Regional Planning Agencies, Councils of Governments, Counties, Conservation Districts, Cities and Towns, other substate public planning agencies, and interstate agencies.
• Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
• Total Available: $2,500,000

On behalf of the Health Connector, the state’s health insurance marketplace, we are sharing resources about the upcoming 2027 Open Enrollment period.

This year Open Enrollment will begin earlier than in the past, opening on October 23 and running through January 23, 2027. In preparation for the Open Enrollment season, the Health Connector is hosting a series of free public webinars to support residents throughout the process. 

Additionally, the federal government has made changes to who qualifies for help paying for health insurance, and some of these changes will be effective as of January 1st. The Health Connector will be reguarly updating its federal changes webpage, which can be found here  https://www.mahealthconnector.org/updates.

National Grid is utilizing a new digital translation application that will be available at select Customer Assistance events in Massachusetts in September, part of an initiative to enhance support to customers seeking bill support and energy-saving tips across the state.

National Grid’s Customer Advocates have been piloting the TranslateLive app at events in recent weeks, following training on the use of the real-time translation and interpretation tool. The app enhances the reach of National Grid’s Advocate team, some of whom provide dual-language support in English plus Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. The tool allows all trained Advocates to:

• Connect with customers face-to-face in their preferred language;
• Increase access to programs and services; and
• Create a more inclusive customer experience in communities statewide.

As the summer cooling season transitions into fall, Advocates will use the TranslateLive app at events across the state, highlighting energy-saving tips and bill support programs. National Grid customers can also speak with energy experts about bill issues, learn ways to lower energy use, and how to access programs such as:

• Payment assistance;
• Budget Plan;
• The Tiered Discount Rate Program; and
• The Arrears Management Program.

Customers unable to attend September’s in-person events (list below) can view the August Bill Assistance Webinar hosted by National Grid’s Advocates, who provided an overview of key customer-focused programs.

Payment Assistance Bundle Helps Manage Energy Bills

National Grid customers can now sign up for the Payment Assistance Bundle, which combines the three helpful solutions below, which make it easier to manage energy costs and pay down past-due amounts over a 12-month period:

• Deferred Payment Agreement: Spread out past-due balance into future monthly payments.
• Automatic Monthly Payments: Automatically deduct payments from your bank account each month and avoid missing due dates.
• Budget Plan: Break down annual energy costs into balanced monthly payments, making it easier to budget and plan expenses.

Residential customers interested in enrolling in the Payment Assistance Bundle or other Bill Assistance program can enroll via their ‘My Account’ login. Visit ngrid.com/hereforyou to learn more about our programs or contact a Customer Service Specialist at 1-800-233-5325.

September 2026 Customer Assistance Events across Massachusetts 

The full list of in-person Customer Assistance events in Massachusetts is included below.  Interested customers are encouraged to visit the Massachusetts event page to confirm dates, times, and locations for all events.

An asterisk (*) has been added to the City/Town name to highlight events where the TranslateLive app will be available.

On behalf of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, I am pleased to share that the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) is rolling out new chip/tap-enabled EBT cards to all clients, replacing the current magstripe-only cards. This marks a major shift in how one access and protect their benefits, and DTA is encouraging constituents to activate their new cards as soon as they arrive in the mail.

DTA and its EBT vendor have mailed a chip/tap EBT card to clients across Massachusetts throughout August. Clients do not need to visit a Transitional Assistance Office (TAO) or call DTA to get one. If you do not have a working card, you can request one through DTA Connect, the EBT Customer Service line (800-997-2555), or by visiting a TAO.

It's easy for you to activate the card: You can either make a purchase with the new card or call the number on the back to set a new PIN. Either action activates the new card and automatically deactivates the old one. You should do this as soon as they get their card and not wait. You have 60 days before the old, non-chip card is automatically deactivated, and DTA is tracking activations daily.

Please visit mass.gov/EBT for more information.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration recently launched a coordinated statewide effort to help MassHealth members keep their health care coverage amid new burdensome Medicaid requirements imposed by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  

Federal changes affecting MassHealth (Medicaid) members | Mass.gov

MassDEP has made the latest round of Water Management Act Grants available for application. This grant program is designed to assist eligible public water suppliers and municipalities with Water Management Act permits by providing funds for planning assistance, demand management, and withdrawal impact mitigation projects in local communities.

The grants are focused on support for:

• planning projects for specific watersheds or subwatersheds to identify implementation projects to improve ecological conditions
• conservation projects aimed to reduce the demand for water within a municipality or a watershed, such as rate studies or drought resiliency planning; and
• withdrawal mitigation projects that address the following: improve or increase instream flow, wastewater projects that keep water local, stormwater management projects that improve recharge, reduce impervious cover and/or improve water quality, water supply operational improvements, habitat improvement, demand management, reduction of wastewater inflow and infiltration, and other projects that can be demonstrated to mitigate the impacts of water withdrawals.

Application deadline: September 21, 2026

Eligible applicants: public water suppliers and municipalities with a Water Management Act permit or permit application under review
Awards: May range from $25,000 - $350,000 per application

More information on the Water Management Act Grants can be found on MassDEP’s website: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/water-management-act-grant-programs-for-public-water-suppliers.

The MBTA is today reminding riders that Green Line service will be suspended between Government Center and Babcock Street on the B branch, Government Center and Cleveland Circle on the C branch, North Station and Kenmore on the D branch, and Heath Street and North Station on the E Branch for nine consecutive days, August 8 – 16.

More about the Work

During this service suspension, the MBTA will perform work on two major projects: critical signal upgrades within the central Green Line tunnel and the C Branch Accessibility Improvements Project.  

At over 100 years old, the MBTA’s Green Line signal system is ready to be replaced with upgraded, modern technology. When the project is complete, the new signal system will provide the MBTA Operations team with a safer work environment through improved train detection, better management of train congestion within the tunnel, and more consistent train spacing (which provides the foundation for improved service frequency). These operational improvements also mean more reliable service for riders with fewer unplanned disruptions and emergency repairs caused by the older, aging signal system. Compatible with the upcoming fleet of new Type 10 Green Line cars, these signal upgrades also help prepare the MBTA for future generations of riders.

Through this service outage and other outages being planned later this year, work crews will:  

• Replace 90 existing 25 Hz track circuits with modern 100 Hz equipment
• Install more than 72 miles of signal cable and more than 4 miles of fiber-optic communications infrastructure
• Upgrade 129 signal-system components at key locations, including Copley, Park Street, and Government Center
• Integrate and thoroughly test the new system before restoring passenger service
• Complete related inspections and repairs, helping reduce future service disruptions

The Green Line C Branch Station Accessibility Improvements project is in the process of making accessibility improvements at seven inaccessible above-ground stations on the C Branch along Beacon Street in the Town of Brookline: Englewood Avenue, Dean Road, Tappan Street, the consolidated Fairbanks Street/Brandon Hall station, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul Street, and Hawes Street.  

During this service change, work crews will continue to address the existing low and narrow platforms that create barriers for people with disabilities and others who need easier boarding, such as older adults, families with strollers, and riders carrying luggage. The project is creating a safer boarding experience through raised, wider platforms, which reduce the height and distance a rider navigates when boarding and disembarking trains, and assists with faster and more efficient boarding for all riders, which helps Green Line trains stay on schedule. Through other improvements like protected platform shelters, better lighting, upgraded pedestrian crossings, and additional customer-assistance areas, the project is also improving safety elements and the overall customer experience for all riders.  

The work includes:  

• Raised, widened, and lengthened platforms for safer, more level boarding
• Accessible ramps and improved pedestrian crossings
• Better lighting, shelters, signs, and customer-assistance areas
• Platforms designed for the upcoming fleet of longer, higher-capacity Type 10 Green Line vehicles
• Improved drainage, emergency power, and station infrastructure
• The consolidation of Fairbanks Street and Brandon Hall into one accessible station
• The closure of Kent Street after nearby stations are upgraded
• Landscaping and tree replacement where construction affects existing trees.

Benefits of Coordinating the Central Tunnel and C Branch Closures

Suspending service in both the central Green Line tunnel and along the C branch at the same time allows the MBTA to make these improvements on a faster, accelerated timeline during one coordinated service outage instead of multiple shutdowns on many different dates. With unencumbered access to the area for multiple days, crews are able to work more safely and more efficiently, and multiple signal, accessibility, track, power, and maintenance crews can work simultaneously. The coordinated work during this nine-day window also saves the MBTA millions of dollars in redundant service outage costs associated with coordinating shuttle buses, personnel, equipment, and construction support.

Alternate Travel Options

Riders can find complete information at MBTA.com/GreenLine. More information on these service changes and alternate travel options is below:  

• Riders using shuttle bus service should budget ample extra travel time. For example, a rider travelling to Park Street from Cleveland Circle should budget at least an additional 25 minutes of travel in additional to their regular commute. 
• B Branch: Free and accessible shuttle buses will operate between Babcock Street and Back Bay.  
  • Riders can connect to the Orange Line at Back Bay for continued service through downtown toward North Station.  
  • Fares will not be collected at surface-level stops between Babcock Street and Boston College.
  • Route 57 bus service will be fare-free during this service change.    
• C Branch: Free and accessible shuttle buses will operate between Cleveland Circle and Back Bay.      
  • Riders can connect to the Orange Line at Back Bay for continued service through downtown toward North Station.  
  • Shuttle bus service will not be available at Saint Mary’s Street, Kent Street, or Brandon Hall in both directions. Riders should instead utilize shuttle bus service at the next nearest stop. 
• D Branch: Free and accessible shuttle buses will operate between Kenmore and Back Bay.      
  • Riders can connect to the Orange Line at Back Bay for continued service through downtown toward North Station.   
  • There will be free fares at Kenmore and Riverside with the fare gates open. Fares will also be free at all surface-level stops west of Kenmore.     
• E Branch: Route 39 will replace Green Line E Branch service between Heath Street and Back Bay. Extra buses will be added to the 39 to accommodate additional capacity. The route will be fare-free during this service change.    
   

Significance of Multi-Day Outages

The MBTA is reminding riders that service outages such as these are a critical and necessary part of maintaining the infrastructure improvements that took place as part of the 2024 Track Improvement Program while also making further system upgrades and modernizing the MBTA’s infrastructure. This work cannot be performed during the overnight hours when the MBTA does not operate, and would be extremely inefficient and costly if planned during single weekend outages.  

Closing a section of the transit system for multiple days is the most efficient way to perform the MBTA’s routine maintenance, revitalization efforts, inspections, and upgrade work, and combines the efforts of multiple contractors and the MBTA workforce around the clock 24/7 to maximize productivity. This work is necessary and continuous to maintain the reliable service riders count on.