Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Invests $3.8 Million to Protect Coastal Communities from Flooding and Erosion

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced $3.8 million in grants to support Massachusetts coastal communities and nonprofit and tribal partners in protecting critical infrastructure and environmental resources from erosion, storm damage and flooding. The Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) will provide funding and technical assistance for 12 projects along the state’s coastline through the Coastal Resilience Grant Program. These projects are designed to support local and regional efforts through proactive planning, public engagement, infrastructure relocation and shoreline restoration. With this crucial funding, communities are taking necessary actions to identify vulnerable areas and prepare for coastal storms and increasing flooding and erosion impacts.

“Erosion and storm damage already threaten homes, businesses, roads and infrastructure along the 1,500 miles of coastline in Massachusetts, and impacts are getting worse,” said Governor Maura Healey. “With these Coastal Resilience Grant awards, we are investing in solutions to protect housing affordability, business competitiveness and safety in coastal communities.”

“As a former mayor of Salem, I know that resilience requires planning, perseverance and teamwork,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This grant program provides targeted funding and know-how to help those on the front lines prepare, respond and adapt to worsening weather impacts, while reducing the financial burden at the local level.”

CZM’s Coastal Resilience Grant Program provides funding and technical assistance to evaluate local and regional vulnerabilities to coastal flooding and erosion. It also aims to raise community awareness and action on these issues, plan for changing conditions, redesign and relocate vulnerable community facilities and infrastructure and restore shoreline systems to enhance natural resources and provide storm damage protection. Grants advance feasibility assessments, public outreach and engagement, design, permitting and implementation of projects.

“In Massachusetts, we know the choices we make today will determine how well we weather future storms,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “The Coastal Resilience Grant Program empowers communities to strategically plan, design and implement solutions that directly reduce risk and enhance community health, safety and economic prosperity.”

“Over the last year, we have met extensively with coastal communities to develop the ResilientCoasts plan, and we have heard loud and clear that state action and funding are needed,” said CZM Director Alison Brizius. “The Coastal Resilience Grants underscore the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s commitment to providing the leadership and financial support that matters most.”

Governor Healey’s Mass Ready Act puts $200 million to implement the ResilientCoasts Plan.

Including the grants announced today, more than $54 million have been invested in 247 resilience improvement projects in 60 communities through the Coastal Resilience Grant Program since 2014. This funding has supported comprehensive planning, infrastructure improvement and shoreline restoration projects to reduce wave energy, erosion and flooding impacts.

“I have been working closely with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and Westport’s local town officials to take proactive steps to counter the detrimental effects that storm surge and climate change do to Westport beaches. I’m proud to have secured almost $75,000 in funding to advance the ‘Westport Beach Management Plan,’ an action plan to preserve and protect East Beach’s coastal dunes and barriers that have been ravaged by storms in recent years. This plan will center on best practices for beach management, protecting the habitat for rare shorebirds and continuing recreational access to Atlantic Avenue, the Knubble and East Beach Road,” said State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

“I’m thrilled to see Barnstable, Chatham, Nantucket and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) receive support through the Coastal Resilience Grant Program,” said State Senator Julian Cyr (D-Cape & Islands District). “From protecting Sandy Neck Beach to restoring salt marshes at Jackknife, and safeguarding the sacred Gay Head Cliffs, these projects reflect the ingenuity and urgency we need to confront the climate crisis on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Our region is often the canary in the coal mine when it comes to rising seas and extreme weather, and investments like these show what it takes to adapt and safeguard our future.”

“I am grateful to Governor Healey and CZM Director Brizius for their attention to the First Essex’s coastline,” said State Representative Shand (D-Newburyport). “These funds will help all stakeholders agree on best strategies for managing beaches being stressed by storm surges and rising seas.”

“Investing in resilient coasts supports strong local economies and healthy communities in the face of worsening climate change impacts,” said State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull). “We appreciate the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s partnership. This investment in our local infrastructure and public safety building means that for years to come, residents of Hull can continue to be prepared to address increasing inundation events, more intense storms and extreme weather events.”

The 12 projects receiving a total of $3.8 million in Coastal Resilience Grants are:

Barnstable 
Sandy Neck Beach Long-Term Coastal Resiliency Construction Project, $1,770,000 
The Town of Barnstable will relocate the vulnerable parking lot at Sandy Neck Beach approximately 60-70 feet landward to help maintain public beach access and allow the dune to be restored. This project also includes relocation of the gatehouse to comprehensively address long-term flooding and erosion impacts at the site.

Chatham 
Jackknife Beach Living Shoreline Restoration Project, $30,845 
The Town of Chatham will complete the bidding process for the future construction of a shoreline stabilization and fringing salt marsh restoration project at Jackknife Beach. Once constructed, the project will restore salt marsh using biodegradable materials and shellfish, allow for landward migration of the marsh and help protect public access to the shoreline.

The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association 
Preserving History: Coastal Adaptation Masterplan, Phase 1a Implementation, $176,190 
The House of the Seven Gables will begin permitting and developing construction-ready design plans for relocating the Counting House and floodproofing the Hooper Hathaway House, two historic and publicly accessible buildings on the campus. The project will address critical coastal and stormwater vulnerabilities while laying the foundation for future phased-relocation actions.

Hull 
Adaptation Pathways for Critical Facilities Phase 3: Design Advancement of Hull's Resilient Facility for Critical Town Services, $252,000 
The Town of Hull will continue to advance design plans for redeveloping the Department of Public Works and Municipal Light Plant facilities into a combined building that is protected from sea level rise, storm surge and high tide flooding.

Kingston 
Kingston Town Landing Adaptation Project: A Resilient Design for the Ah-De-Nah, $166,632 
The Town of Kingston will assess the vulnerability of its town landing at the Ah-De-Nah along the Jones River, which includes the Harbormaster’s office, pier and parking lot, and evaluate conceptual alternatives for reducing existing and future flooding and sea level rise impacts.

Nantucket 
Surfside Wastewater Treatment Facility Dune Restoration Conceptual Design and Long-Term Planning, $299,572 
The Town of Nantucket will assess alternatives and develop a conceptual design plan for protecting the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Plant from coastal erosion threats. The design will focus on the beach area fronting the vulnerable facility to help protect critical wastewater operations, public health and environmental safety.

New Bedford 
Fort Taber Park Shoreline Restoration, $69,850 
The City of New Bedford will evaluate natural shoreline restoration alternatives along a 500-foot beach area at the main entrance to the historic Fort Taber Park and the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project will conduct public outreach and develop a design for a preferred alternative that protects the infrastructure from coastal storms and sea level rise.

Plymouth 
Plymouth Coastal Resiliency: AI-Driven Flood Total Cost of Risk Economic Simulator Project, $294,435 
The Town of Plymouth will design and implement an artificial intelligence-driven modeling tool that evaluates flood risk, potential economic impacts and insurance coverage gaps for residential and business properties. This pilot project aims to support municipal planning and public education on flood risks and potential solutions to enhance physical and financial resilience to flood hazards.

Revere 
Building Adaptive Capacity in Beachmont: Flood Monitoring and Community Resilience at Belle Isle Marsh, $68,953 
The City of Revere will implement adaptation actions in the Beachmont neighborhood adjacent to the Belle Isle Marsh to help address near-term flood risks. The project will install flood sensors and establish an advanced flood warning system, evaluate a utility elevation assistance program for income-eligible households and adapt the parking policy to prevent vehicle loss and damage.

Salisbury 
Upper North Shore Regional Shore Protection Strategy Development and Needs Assessment, $232,830 
The Town of Salisbury will partner with Newbury and Newburyport on a long-term, regional planning effort to evaluate coastal erosion and sediment transport and the feasibility of shore protection strategies. The project will assess site-specific protection options, including beach and dune nourishment and identification of potential nourishment sources.

Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) 
Strengthening Coastal Resilience through Tribal-Led Monitoring and Adaptive Modeling of Bluff Stability at the Gay Head Cliffs, $382,109 
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has partnered with Tufts University and is receiving their first Coastal Resilience Grant to develop a model to evaluate the effects of storms and sea level rise on the culturally significant Gay Head Cliffs. The project will identify near-term solutions to address erosion impacts and long-term goals to proactively guide future adaptation actions. The Tribe brings valuable expertise and lived experiences to managing coastal erosion and developing long-term adaptation strategies.

Westport 
Advancing the Westport Barrier Beach Management Plan, $74,403 
The Town of Westport will continue to engage stakeholders on best management practices, conduct local and state review and file permits for their Barrier Beach Management Plan. The plan will focus on management actions to help maintain coastal dunes and barrier beaches so they can continue to provide storm protection, habitat for rare shorebirds and recreational opportunities, while preserving access to roads including Atlantic Avenue, Beach Avenue (The Knubble) and East Beach Road.

The Massachusetts 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. Through planning, technical and grant assistance and public information programs, CZM seeks to balance the impacts of human activity with the protection of coastal and marine resources. The agency’s work includes helping coastal communities address the challenges of storms, sea level rise and other effects of climate change; working with state, regional and federal partners to balance current and new uses of ocean waters while protecting ocean habitats and promoting sustainable economic development; and partnering with communities and other organizations to protect and restore coastal water quality and habitats.

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