Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $138,000 in Grants to Protect Habitat and Water Quality in the Buzzards Bay Watershed

Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced $138,000 in grant awards for projects that will support fish migration and improve water quality in the Buzzards Bay watershed. The two grants are awarded by the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (NEP) through the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

“These local projects will lead to significant water quality improvements, as well as enhanced habitat and reduced flooding impacts,” said CZM Director Alison Brizius. “The partnerships supported by the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program are extremely effective in ensuring on-the-ground success, and I thank the communities and all involved in this type of great work.”

The following municipalities were awarded grants:

• The Town of Plymouth will receive $69,000 to design and construct stormwater treatment systems on Surrey Drive that will prevent contaminants and nutrients from entering Clear Pond. The pond has documented low levels of oxygen and elevated levels of chlorophyll, phosphorus, and nitrogen, which are leading to repeated seasonal outbreaks of cyanobacteria. The town’s goal is to eliminate the first flush of stormwater from being discharged directly into the pond, which is contributing to poor water quality.
• The Town of Westport will receive $69,000 to complete preliminary engineering design plans to advance the replacement of three undersized and deteriorating culverts at Angeline Brook at Cornell Road and Snell Creek and Lyons Brook on Drift Road. The culverts impair the free flow of the streams, serve as barriers to native fish migration, and pose risks to public safety when roads are damaged during extreme flooding. Eventual replacement of these culverts will provide access to critical habitat for sea-run brook trout, river herring, American eel, and other fish species.

“My commitment to the National Estuary Program has been steadfast throughout my tenure in Congress because the program is vital to our region,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “Water quality improvements in our communities are a cumulative effort. Each year, SNEP and the Buzzards Bay NEP make targeted investments in our region’s steams, bays, and estuaries. And each year, we steadily work towards the goal of returning our region’s waterways to their pristine state.”

“I appreciate the continuing work of Buzzards Bay communities and their partners to protect water quality and restore habitat,” said Buzzards Bay NEP Executive Director Joe Costa. “Thanks to generous Congressional support, we have been able to award more than $2.7 million in local grants for 23 projects in 12 communities since 2022.”

“This investment in Plymouth’s water quality is a critical step toward protecting Clear Pond and ensuring the long-term health of our local ecosystems,” said Senator Dylan Fernandes (D-Plymouth and Barnstable). “By preventing harmful contaminants from entering the water, we’re not just improving environmental conditions, we’re safeguarding public health and enhancing the natural resources that make our coastal communities so special.”

“It is great news that Westport is receiving this grant so they can get to work on the culverts at Angeline Brook and Snell Brook,” said Representative Steven Ouellette (D-8^th Bristol). “With much appreciation to EEA and the Healey-Driscoll Administration, this grant will be used to its full capacity. And thank you to the dedicated employees of the Town of Westport for applying for this grant and making this project possible.”

The Office of Coastal Zone Management is the lead policy and planning agency on coastal and ocean issues within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Created in 1985, the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program provides grants and technical assistance to Buzzards Bay watershed communities to protect and restore water quality and natural resources in Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed.

###