Brownville and Willimantic net culvert project funds

In 2014, Maine voters passed the “Clean Water for Maine” bond. As a result, $5,400,000 in funds was earmarked for vital improvement projects including stream crossing and culvert upgrades. Among the grant recipients are the towns of Brownville and Willimantic which both received $95,000. The funds for Brownville will be used on Front Street and the $95,000 for Willimantic is earmarked for the Norton Corner Road.

The projects awarded will benefit public infrastructure by replacing several culverts that are currently failing and at risk of complete washouts, open up fish spawning habitat, eliminate undersized and other impassable culverts and reduce some of the worst ongoing erosion impacts to streams, brooks, and lakes.

The Department of Environmental Protection received 85 applications to review which totaled over $6.8 million dollars in fund requests. The department has issued over $2.4 million in grant money through this second round of applications.