BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration  announced over $6.4 million in grants to strengthen community preparedness for large storms, improve climate-ready infrastructure, restore flood storage capacities, and protect fisheries, wildlife, and river habitat.

 

The Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grant Program is one of the many resources the administration utilizes to help municipalities replace undersized and deteriorating culverts with crossings that meet improved design standards. The grants target culverts whose replacement brings significant ecological and resilience benefits and helps municipalities deal with the increasing aging road infrastructure costs.

 

"With extreme weather becoming more frequent, projects like these are a climate-smart investment to help cities and towns adapt to climate change," said Governor Maura Healey. "It is important that we upgrade culverts and small bridges to prevent flooding and reduce public safety risks. We are proud to announce these awards that will support our communities and ecosystems for generations to come."

 

DER is awarding $811,000 in grants to 14 municipalities through the CRMA grant program. Nearly half of an estimated 25,000 small bridges and culverts in Massachusetts act as barriers to fish and wildlife because they are undersized or poorly positioned. Installing culverts that meet the Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards allows rivers to flow unrestricted, improves access for fish and wildlife, and lowers the risk of flood damage.

 

In Berkshire County:

 

Karner Brook Culvert Replacement, Egremont 

Award: Town of Egremont, $48,811

This award will fund design and engineering, permitting, and some construction for a culvert replacement project on Blunt Road to improve stream connectivity of a tributary to Karner Brook.

 

Sleepy Hollow Road Culvert Replacement, Richmond 

Award: Town of Richmond, $55,200

This award will fund the design and engineering for a culvert replacement project on Sleepy Hollow Road to improve stream connectivity of Cone Brook and two tributaries.

 

Housatonic River Tributary Culvert Replacement, Great Barrington 

Award: Town of Great Barrington, $55,933

This award will fund the design and engineering for a culvert replacement project on Brush Hill Road to improve stream connectivity of a tributary to the Housatonic River.

 

"Undersized culverts are one of the biggest stressors on Massachusetts stream ecosystems," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "Ecological restoration serves our communities and the environment by increasing climate resilience, improving habitat for wildlife, building outdoor recreational opportunities, and creating jobs.

 

DER also awarded $609,825 to support three restoration partnerships through the Regional Restoration Partnerships Program and $26,000 to two Priority Ecological Restoration Projects. Two grants totaling $5 million were awarded to support the Herring River Estuary Restoration project in Wellfleet, one of the largest tidal estuary restoration projects in the North Atlantic coastal region.

 

DER's Regional Restoration Partnerships Program was established in 2021. This Program builds the capacity of local and regional organizations to collaboratively advance restoration work. Pairing partner strengths with the state's investments empowers networks of partners to restore rivers and wetlands and helps people and nature adapt to climate change. 

 

In Berkshire County this includes:

 

Berkshire Clean, Cold, Connected Restoration Partnership 

Award: Housatonic Valley Association, $199,899

This Partnership supports a network of organizations, agencies, and communities working for healthy aquatic systems and building climate resiliency in the Hoosic, Housatonic, and Farmington River watersheds. The Partnership will build local and regional capacity for planning and implementing restoration projects, such as habitat connectivity projects (culvert upgrades and dam removal) and stream corridor restoration projects (floodplain reconnection, in-stream habitat enhancement, and riparian buffer restoration).