DEP grants to improve stream crossings, culverts

AUGUSTA — Maine voters approved a bond package in November 2017 that included $5 million for vital improvement projects including stream crossing and culvert upgrades.

Maine DEP has announced funds for 29 projects across the state, including these local sites.

Charleston: Bacon Road, $95,000, and Garland Road, $80,000.

Cambridge: Bailey Road and Bridge Road, each $65,000.

Dexter: Mill Street, $95,000.

These monies fund competitive grants that match local funding for the upgrade of municipal culverts at stream crossings and must be located on a municipal road. The projects awarded will: benefit public infrastructure by replacing several culverts that are currently failing and at risk of complete washouts, open fish spawning habitat, eliminate undersized and other impassable culverts and reduce some of the worst ongoing erosion impacts to streams, brooks, and lakes.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) received 40 applications to review which totaled over $3 million in fund requests, and has issued over $2.5 million in grant money through this round of applications.

Three previous rounds of culvert grants have resulted in a total of 72 culvert upgrade projects in Maine communities statewide and have expended $5.4 million dollars in bond funds earmarked for these infrastructure improvements.

For more information, including examples of successful applications and the master score sheet for this round, visit Maine DEP’s website: https://www.maine.gov/dep/land/grants/stream-crossing-upgrade.html.