Medford/Somerville, Mass. – Tufts University scientists and researchers last week announced plans to analyze climate change and its affects in Boston and 100 surrounding communities. The groundbreaking Tufts initiative is one of the first to focus on a metropolitan area.

   In a March 10 article, the Boston Globe called the three-year Tufts study “groundbreaking" and reported, in a front-page article, that the Tufts initiative may serve as a national model for analyzing the effect of climate change on coastal cities.

   Using almost $1 million from the EPA, Tufts will work with government officials and industry leaders to determine the effect of global warming on crucial Boston infrastructure, including water, sewer and highway systems.

   "It’s important that we begin to think about the impacts of climate change on these areas,” said Tufts civil and environmental engineering professor Paul Kirshen, in an interview with the Globe. He will lead a 15-member research team for the project.