Beach Goers & Boaters Began Arriving at East End Beach on Munjoy Hill Early This Morning in Anticipation of a Hot Day in the Area.
A Sign at East End Beach, Munjoy HIll, Gives the Weather Conditions as of This Morning, July 19, 2022.
Governor Janet T. Mills (D), the first woman Governor of Maine and the first woman AG of Maine, announced today that thirteen (13) communities in Maine will receive nearly $20 million in grants through her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan for municipal investments to protect vital infrastructure from effects of climate change.
The thirteen (13) communities are: Anson-Madison, $842,000; Bath, $4 M; Berwick, $1,425 M; Blue HIll, $1 M; Boothbay Harbor, $4.15 M; Norway, $100,000; Ogunquit, $2,85 M; Eastport, $165,750; Frenchville, $58,500; Kennebunkport,$2,585 M; Rockland,$75,000; Scarborough, $60,000 and Winslow, $2,738 M.
Recipients of this funding will use the funds to address flooding along ocean and waterfronts, protect stormwater and wastewater systems, install culverts to reduce flooding and ensure energy is available during extreme storms according to the announcement.
Following are examples of how the funding will be used: DESIGN and construction activities to protect the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District’s wastewater treatment facility from future sea level rise and storm surge, CONSTRUCTION activities to address the most problematic of the City of Bath’s drainage areas by upgrading and upsizing of equipment, INCREASING the capacity of the stormwater system in the Town of Winslow.
MaineDOT issued a Request for Application (RFA) for the Maine Infrastructure Adaption Fund in April of 2022, with applications accepted until the end of May. The total funding award to communities is $19,914.250.
“Over the past two decades, the once-in-a-hundred years events have started to happen more and more often,” said Erica LaCroix, Winslow Town Manager. “The increased severity of storms has surpassed the capacity of our aging stormwater system, and businesses and residents have suffered signigicant losses as a result. This trend is not likely to decline any time soon, but the funds to combat this threat just haven’t been available. We are grateful to Governor Mills, the DEP and MaineDot for recognixzing the need to help our local communities in preparing for the effects of climate change now and in the future.”
“Climate change is impacting nearly every facet of our lives and Maine communities are on the front lines,” said Governor Mills in the announcement issued today. “These investments through my Jobs Plan will help municipalities across the state strengthen their infrasturcture to better deal with the impacts of climate change, improving the safety of their towns and the Maine people who call them home.”