Gov. Mills announces grants for Charleston and Harmony
AUGUSTA — Gov. Janet Mills announced that her administration is awarding $25.2 million in storm recovery grants to 39 communities across Maine to help them recover and build more resilient infrastructure following last winter’s devastating storms.
Grant recipients include $200,000 for Charleston to replace a culvert on the Garland Road, and $200,000 for Harmony to replace a Trafton Road culvert.
The grants come from the Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund, created by the Governor and the Legislature in 2021, and are funded by $60 million in state funding that Gov. Mills and the Legislature approved through the supplemental budget in May – the single largest investment in storm recovery by any Administration in Maine history.
The awards will fund municipalities’ work to upgrade vital culverts, move or stabilize roads at risk of flooding, strengthen storm drainage infrastructure, and make other improvements to help their communities mitigate the impact of intense storms, flooding, and rising sea levels. Just last month, the Governor cut the ribbon to mark the completion of a major causeway upgrade in Kennebunkport funded through the Maine Infrastructure Adaption Fund.
A full list of awards is available online, as is a map of award locations.
“We are working closely with towns and cities to take decisive action that will protect our people, our communities, and our economy from the destructive impacts of climate change,” said Gov. Mills. “These important awards will help communities across Maine recover from last winter’s storms and upgrade their infrastructure so that they are better prepared for the future. From my administration to the Legislature to municipalities across Maine, this is truly a team effort – and a crucial one that will make the lives of Maine people better for years to come. I thank them all for their partnership in this important work.”
“Severe weather events can wreak havoc on the infrastructure that connects us; this funding will help us rebuild those connections and increase their resiliency for the future,” said Bruce Van Note, commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. “The team at the Maine Department of Transportation is excited to work with our colleagues at the state and local levels to provide this support to the communities that have been impacted by these storm events. Investments in infrastructure support the economic opportunities and quality of life that make our state great.”
“Maine’s climate action plan, Maine Won’t Wait, calls for investing in communities to protect vital infrastructure from effects of climate change, such as flooding, rising sea levels, and extreme storms,” said Hannah Pingree, director of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and co-chair of the Maine Climate Council. “Last winter’s storm impacts highlight the urgency of taking action to protect vulnerable infrastructure and these grant awards highlight the state’s commitment to supporting actions to address climate impacts, in partnership with Maine communities.”
“MMA was pleased to learn that a diverse group of towns and cities received recovery and resilience grants,” said Catherine Conlow, Maine Municipal Association executive director. “These powerful storms do not discriminate when it comes to destruction shouldered by our communities, and as a result nor should the aid available to help Maine’s towns and cities recover. Gov. Mills’ dedication to helping communities of all geographic sizes and populations is greatly appreciated.”
In April the governor and Legislature approved $60 million in storm relief to help Maine working waterfronts, communities, and businesses recover from recent storms and become more resilient to future severe weather.
Of this funding, the Governor announced last month that her administration had awarded 68 Maine working waterfronts a total of $21.2 million in grants from the funding to support their recovery and rebuilding. She also announced that her administration will distribute nearly $6 million in Business Recovery and Resilience Fund grants to help 108 businesses and organizations impacted by severe weather increase their resilience to future storms, with a second round of grants to come.
The Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund provides one-time grants for significant infrastructure adaptation, repair and improvements that support public safety, protection of essential community assets, and long-term infrastructure resiliency. The Fund was a recommendation of the state’s climate action plan, Maine Won’t Wait, to support community efforts to build climate resilience in Maine.
The work of rebuilding in a more resilient way comes as a new commission, established by the Governor earlier this year, is traveling across Maine to develop the state’s first plan for long-term infrastructure resilience.
The 24-member commission is engaged with communities, industries, and organizations across Maine to understand challenges following storms, identify and bridge gaps in resources like funding, financing, and insurance, how to improve the resilience of energy systems, propose new approaches to improve disaster recovery and response, and strengthen resilience supports at the state, regional, and local levels.