About Us

The Marshfield Coastal Coalition is formed by the vote of a resolution at the last meeting of the Marshfield Seawall Committee.  At the first meeting of the new organization the very next night, John Cusick and Claudette Casey volunteer to join as the very first committee members.  The MCC is formed to model the Scituate Coastal Coalition (SCC), in which beach associations send representatives to the SCC meetings, then report back to their associations.  However, major events in the coming months changes this direction for the MCC.

The Biggert-Waters Act (BW-12) is passed into law.  BW12 would radically change flood insurance, especially for older structures.  

Doris Crary, former Chair of the Marshfield Coastal Advisory Committee, attends a late 2012 meeting of the MCC.  Doris, hearing of the meeting by word of mouth, attends by slamming an envelop full of BW-12 legislative text down on the table and saying, “this bill will destroy affordability for homeowners”.  Doris was, at the time, one of the first local experts to raise the alarm on BW-12.  Doris also recommended the committee change its name to the Marshfield “Citizens” Coastal Coalition.  The MCC became the MCCC, and added an expert in Doris Crary to the committee.  

FEMA issues preliminary flood maps for Marshfield, MA, home of the newly formed MCCC.  The MCCC quickly becomes a local resource for information on the impact of map changes for citizens of the Town.  A study the MCCC does later shows the average Base Flood Elevation increases by over 70%

FEMA holds the 2013 flood map public meeting.  Over 1500 people show up to dispute the maps, and the MCCC announces that it will move to appeal the maps.  The MCCC works with the Town later in 2013 to submit data to appeal the flood maps.  The night of the meeting the MCCC distributes thousands of pieces of information about purchasing flood insurance, and inviting them to a new map outreach several weeks later.  

The MCCC, along with the Scituate Coastal Coalition, State Representative Jim Cantwell, and others host a rally to support more accurate flood maps, and more affordable flood insurance.  About 300 people attend the rally, and sets the stage for MCCC advocacy going forward.  

Working with other national stakeholders, such as the New Orleans based Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance (CSFI), the MCCC submits countless memos and letters to Congress, other stakeholders groups, and more.  The result is the passing of the Home Owners Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA) which rolled back many of the detrimental effects of BW12.  Later in 2014, the MCCC, along with the South Shore Chamber of Commerce and the Scituate Coastal Coalition establishes the Massachusetts Coastal Coalition (MCC) to expand the conversation on legislative reform state wide.  

By the end of 2014, and with the ongoing implementation of both BW-12 and the HFIAA, the MCCC is asked by local and regional associations and stakeholders to give overviews of the legislation, some of which the MCCC was instrumental in advocating for.  This begins to set the tone for the MCCC as an educational organization.  In the image to the left, the MCCC speaks at the annual Jack Conway Realtor conference.

In March of 2015, Chair Joe Rossi attends the 2015 National Flood Determination Association (NFDA, now the National Flood Association, NFA) conference.  Representing the MCCC, Joe talks to and meets national figures in the NFIP and flood insurance industries.  In the same trip, Joe meets with Caitlin Berni, head of the CSFI.  Overall, the trip propels the MCCC into the national spotlight.  

The formerly loosely organized MCCC starts to organize as a true Board of Directors, gaining Tim Carty from Murphy Carty Insurance (currently serving) and Jack Sullivan, retired FEMA (retired from Board in 2017).  The organization of the Coalition also sees several founders leave.  John Cusick and Claudette Casey retire at the end of 2015.    

As the Marshfield map appeal continues, and with the new resources and MCCC Board members, communities begin to call on the MCCC for their expertise in flood insurance and mapping.  In 2015, the MCC gives presentations to the Town of Hull, Quincy, Scituate, and more stakeholder groups.  

On November 5th 2015, Marshfield, MA receives new flood maps as a result of the 2013 community appeal.  The MCCC develops a comprehensive map adoption process.  The process involves flood insurance information, a town wide mailing, round table meetings with those opposed to the maps, and more.  The result is an overwhelming acceptance of the new maps in November 6th 2016.  In January, the MCCC kicked off the process with a map viewing. 

Leveraging national contacts, and a massive organizational fundraising initiative, the MCCC hosts the Flood Insurance Summit.  National experts in flood are brought to Marshfield to present information to stakeholders, and meet with legislative representatives to help influence the 2017 NFIP reform.  The event sees over 500 attendees over 2 days, and helps propel the MCCC and MCC as experts in flood insurance.  Doris Crary is also awarded for her 25 years of volunteer service on floodplain management issues.  

The MCCC turns 5, and in May, the MCCC celebrates with an anniversary dinner.  At the dinner, Chair Joe Rossi announces that the Board of Directors will be moving the MCCC towards being an official 501c3 non profit.  The MCCC also adds two new Board members in Sue Sullivan, Realtor, and Steve Amico, lender.  Jack Sullivan retires from the Board.  

The MCCC organizes a large regional push to influence the long term reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program.  However, the NFIP gets kicked down the road.  And will through 2020 with almost 20 short term extensions.  The MCCC, through the legislative initiatives, also begins the process of merging with the MCC.  The process will bring the expert resources of the MCCC with the regional and national reach of the MCC.  

With the series of unprecedented Nor’easter winter storms in early 2018, the MCCC, puts into motion a first of its kind post disaster response.  A series of 5 post disaster outreaches spanning all of coastal Massachusetts helped residents understand the financial resources available to them, and how to navigate the claims process.  With hundreds reached, the MCC set precedents on how future community outreaches would be held.  

In June of 2018, the MCCC completes a full revision of its bylaws, merges with the MCC and officially becomes a 501c3 non profit.  Joe Rossi is also voted by the Board of Directors as Executive Director as well as Chair of the Board.  The Board also gained two more experts in Nate Dill, coastal scientist, and Gail Kubik, architect.  

The MCC forms several subcommittees, including one to focus on the Community Rating System thanks to the influence of Doris Crary.  The MCC is asked to complete the Community Rating System (CRS) for the Town of Marshfield, and in November of 2019, the Town of Marshfield went from a level 9 to 7 in CRS.  The program was done entirely by volunteers from the MCC and the Town of Marshfield.  Additionally, the MCC holds the CRS Symposium in June of 2019, which saw multiple communities meeting to understand CRS and how to implement the program in their communities.  This set the stage for the MCC to host future CRS Users Groups.  

The MCC is now asked by many associations, stakeholder groups, and others across the country to speak at events, perform education, and more.  The MCC holds an annual meeting each November, with our first in 2019, has a full Board of Directors of 9 experts, and established an Advisory Council with nationally recognized experts in flood insurance to help guide the MCC Board of Directors.  The MCC now hosts several CRS Users Groups, educates members with CE classes, and provides support to communities on floodplain related issues.  Additionally, Chair Joe Rossi is now looked to by the NFIP for input on how to make the flood program better, all in the name of our mission to educate, inform and advocate on all flood hazards.