The Baker-Polito Administration announced recently $905,000 in awards to support local culvert replacement projects that improve municipal infrastructure and river health.
The grants are provided by the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) through its Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance grant program.
“ Our administration is proud to support cities and towns across the Commonwealth as they upgrade their local infrastructure to improve storm readiness and protect the health of the Commonwealth’s natural resources ,” said Governor Charlie Baker . “ The grants provided through the Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance Grant Program help ensure our state’s infrastructure can handle large rain events exacerbated by climate change .”
The purpose of DER’s new Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance Grant Program is to encourage and help municipalities to replace existing culverts with crossings that meet improved design standards for fish and wildlife passage, river health, and storm resiliency.
Nearly half of Massachusetts’ estimated 30,000 culverts are undersized and/or poorly positioned and act as barriers to fish and wildlife.