Officials in Massachusetts are preparing for the arrival of a super storm that includes the possibility of both coastal and inland flooding. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard Sullivan says the state's major utilities have filed emergency plans with the state and utilities are contracting crews from as far away as Washington state to deal with expected power outages. Lawmakers say the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has given additional Plum Island residents the green light to conduct beach scraping to help protect their homes as the powerful storm moves up the coast. Several homes in the area near Newburyport have been threatened by beach erosion in recent years and there are concerns that those homes could be washed out to sea. The mega-storm that could bring torrential rain to Massachusetts may also end up dampening campaign plans in the U.S. Senate race. Forecasters say the storm could reach the state by late Sunday and linger until early Wednesday — just as Republican incumbent Scott Brown and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren are ramping up for a last week of campaigning. Their final debate is scheduled for Tuesday.
