New Grants for Coastal Communities

The Baker-Polito Administration has announced over $2.2 million in grants to support local efforts to reduce risks from coastal storms, flooding, erosion and sea level rise.

The grants, provided by the Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), were awarded to Barnstable, Boston, Brewster, Chelsea, Dennis, Edgartown, Essex, Falmouth, Lynn, New Bedford, Plymouth, Quincy, Sandwich/Barnstable, Scituate and Winthrop.

These grants are part of our administration’s commitment to helping the Commonwealth’s cities and towns address the impacts of coastal storms and the effects of a changing climate in new, innovative and effective ways,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “With these programs and others, we will ensure that Massachusetts continues to be a leader in addressing climate change.”

Coastal communities face significant challenges from flooding, erosion and other impacts of storms, challenges that are exacerbated by climate change,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.These projects provide communities both the funding and the technical assistance needed to proactively protect important infrastructure and coastal shoreline habitats and natural resources.”

CZM’s Coastal Community Resilience Grant Program and the Green Infrastructure for Coastal Resilience Grant Program advance local efforts to increase awareness and understanding of climate impacts, as well as implement measures that use natural or non-structural approaches as a viable alternative to hard structures like seawalls and groins.

Grants can be used for planning, feasibility assessment, analysis of shoreline vulnerability, design, permitting, construction and monitoring for projects that provide storm damage protection and enhance natural resources.

The following 16 projects have been funded through this year’s grants:

Barnstable

Project: Coastal Resiliency at Sandy Neck Public Beach Facility, $148,500

The Town of Barnstable will study wind and wave forces affecting the Sandy Neck shoreline and evaluate long-term management options for protecting the Public Beach Facility from storm and flood damages.

Boston

Project: Boston Climate Preparedness Planning Initiative, $350,000

The City of Boston, in partnership with the Boston Redevelopment Authority and Green Ribbon Commission, will review and develop consensus on local climate change projections and impacts, identify vulnerabilities and develop an initial portfolio of actions to strengthen the resiliency of buildings, neighborhoods and infrastructure.

Brewster

Project: Developing a Coastal Adaptation Strategy for Brewster, $159,474

The Town of Brewster will provide information to the public on the vulnerability of infrastructure and natural resources to flooding and erosion, gather input on community priorities and build consensus on local strategies that will enable the Town to respond and adapt to changing climate conditions.

Chelsea

Project: Designing Coastal Community Infrastructure for Climate Change, $90,000

The City of Chelsea will evaluate the vulnerability of municipal infrastructure to coastal flooding and sea level rise and identify local and regional strategies, including building retrofits and natural shoreline stabilization methods, to reduce future flood risks.

Dennis

Project: Improving the Coastal Resiliency of Dr. Bottero Road and Chapin Beach, $73,125

The Town of Dennis will evaluate and design a natural and/or non-structural approach to reduce erosion and provide storm damage protection and flood control for Dr. Bottero Road while enhancing the resilience and natural function of the barrier beach.

Edgartown

Project: Improving the Coastal Resilience of Fuller Street/Lighthouse Beach and Lighthouse Pond, $62,250

The Town of Edgartown will complete permitting activities for a beach nourishment and dune restoration design for Fuller Street Beach that would restore habitat, improve the natural function of the barrier beach and provide recreational benefits to the Town.

Essex

Project: Increasing Resilience through Community Engagement: Facilitating Implementation of Climate Adaptation Strategies in the Great Marsh, $62,943

The Town of Essex, working with the National Wildlife Federation, Ipswich River Watershed Association and the Essex County Greenbelt Association, will develop informational packets and risk maps and conduct a regional workshop to expand public awareness of coastal vulnerabilities in the Towns of Essex, Salisbury, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley and Ipswich.

Falmouth

Project: Design and Permitting for Restoration at Chapoquoit Beach through Beneficial Reuse of Dredged Materials, $120,000

The Town of Falmouth will design and permit a beach restoration project for a critically eroded section of Chapoquoit Beach and coordinate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to receive sand dredged from the Cape Cod Canal for future beach restoration projects.

Lynn

Project: Lynn Waterfront Resiliency Assessment, $73,000

The City of Lynn will assess public infrastructure and natural resources at risk of flooding and sea level rise inundation and develop potential short, mid and long-term adaptation strategies to address high risk areas. The City will develop public outreach materials, including a web-based platform, to communicate vulnerability assessment results.

New Bedford

Project: New Bedford Sewer Pump Station Flood Proofing, $255,000

The City of New Bedford will evaluate flood proofing needs for nine of its most vulnerable sewer pump stations and design and permit the highest priority, least complex improvements to provide uninterrupted service during flood events.

Plymouth

Project: Warren Cove Cobble Nourishment, $73,350

The Town of Plymouth will complete final designs and permitting activities for adding sand, gravel and cobble along 900 feet of an eroded barrier beach to reduce damages to public infrastructure and restore natural coastal resources and habitat.

Quincy

Project: Hydrodynamic Modeling and Community Education, $75,000

The City of Quincy will work with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to complete a coastal flooding and sea level rise vulnerability assessment and implement a community education program to inform and engage community members on coastal impacts and adaptation strategies.

Sandwich/Barnstable

Project: Assessment of Century Scale Sediment Budget for the Towns of Sandwich and Barnstable, $157,930

The Towns of Sandwich and Barnstable will study the volume, rate and direction of sand moving along the shoreline from the Cape Cod Canal to the easterly side of Barnstable Harbor. This data will help inform the design, evaluation and implementation of regional shoreline management efforts.

Scituate

Project: Assessing Coastal Erosion, Sediment Transport and Prioritization Management Strategies for Shoreline Protection, $180,000

The Town of Scituate will study the effect of waves and the movement of sand and other sediment along the shoreline as a basis for identifying and prioritizing viable shoreline protection strategies.

Winthrop

Project: Lewis Lake Tide Gate Replacement and Structure Rehabilitation, $317,625

The Town of Winthrop will rehabilitate the existing tide gate at Lewis Lake to control flow and allow tidal exchange between Lewis Lake and Winthrop Harbor, helping to maximize available flood storage in the lake and reduce the extent of flooding.

Winthrop

Project: Coughlin Park Green Infrastructure Feasibility Study, $75,000

The Town of Winthrop will evaluate natural and non-structural shoreline protection approaches and develop conceptual plans for a preferred alternative that provides the most erosion control and improved wildlife habitat along the Coughlin Park shoreline.