L-R: Fairhaven Town Administrator Angeline “Angie” Lopes Ellison, Mass. Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Fairhaven Harbormaster Timothy Cox, pause for a photo at the Mass. Seaport Economic Council meeting on 7i/26, when Fairhaven received $1.2 million in grants. Photo from Fairhaven Marine Resources Department Facebook page.
On 7/26/22, the Baker-Polito Administration announced nearly $10.8 million in Seaport Economic Council grants for 19 projects. The grants will help coastal communities advance projects that benefit commercial maritime industries, improve resident and visitor access to waterfront assets, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and advance future dredging. The grants were approved at the 7/26 meeting of the Seaport Economic Council, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito at the Chatham Harbormaster Building in Chatham.
“Massachusetts’ coastal communities are home to working waterfronts, maritime industry and innovation,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “I’m proud that the Seaport Economic Council, led by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, has directed nearly $77 million since we have taken office to strengthen Massachusetts’ coastal communities and reinforce them for the future.”
“I appreciate the hard work of the Seaport Economic Council members in evaluating and investing in projects that will deepen our maritime economy, promote economic development, and support resilient infrastructure in our coastal communities,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Chair of the Seaport Economic Council. “From the North Shore to the South Coast, today’s awards will advance important improvements along our waterfront.”
The Seaport Economic Council serves all 78 of the Commonwealth’s coastal communities. The Council awards grant funding to municipalities and other entities in support of projects that promote job creation and economic growth, transformative public-private partnerships, educational opportunities for young people, local economic development planning efforts, coastal infrastructure improvements, and the planning and permitting of saltwater dredging.
With this latest round of grants, the Seaport Economic Council has invested approximately $77 million through 164 grants in 54 coastal communities since 2015.
“Our waterfronts are economic drivers for Massachusetts, supporting maritime industries and drawing visitors to enjoy our beaches and local businesses,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “Providing the resources to shore up our waterfronts through infrastructure improvements and coastal resiliency efforts is integral to both the long-term environmental and economic health of our Commonwealth.”
“Capital grants from the Seaport Economic Council help our coastal communities tackle locally identified projects to update and improve their waterfront infrastructure,” said Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba, Vice Chair of the Seaport Economic Council. “Under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, we are proud to award nearly $10.8 million in grants today to advance 19 important projects.”
Fairhaven received $1 million for continuation of the Union Wharf project. The Town will use this grant for the reconstruction of the western side of the north wall, Phase 5 of the overall renovation of Union Wharf. Union Wharf provides the only public, commercial vessel off-load space available to the entire fleet within New Bedford harbor currently primarily used by the commercial fishing industry.
The town of Fairhaven also received $200,000 for dredging in the West Island channel. This grant will allow the town to be “shovel ready” with all necessary permits and studies completed to enable needed dredging in the West Island Channel in Nasketucket Bay and boat ramp areas. Ultimately, the project will increase the safety and usage of the waterway by increasing the minimum depth to at least seven feet below mean low water, and charting the dredged areas based on post dredge bathymetric surveys.
Town Administrator Angie Lopes Ellison said that town planner Paul Foley and Habormater Tim Cox had been working on the grants for a long time.
Both projects, she said, will allow for “economic growth in the waterfront areas.”
The work on Union Wharf is a multi-phase, multi-million dollar project that has been going on for several years.
The West Island dredging will increase the depth of the channel and push back the encroachment of the sand bar at Hoppy’s Landing. The sand bar has cause navigational headaches for years and is getting significantly worse with each season.
Other Seaport Economic Council Grant Recipients include: City of Beverly, $800,000; Town of Chatham, $1 Million; Town of Chilmark, $176,000; Town of Dartmouth, $996,700; Town of Edgartown, $96,000; Towns of Eastham & Orleans, $162,100; Town of Falmouth, $45,720; Town of Gosnold, $300,000; Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, $79,836; Town of Marion, $1 Million; Town of Marshfield, $192,000; Mass Maritime Academy, $1 Million; City of New Bedford, $1 Million; City of Newburyport, $1.3 Million; City of Revere, $35,000; City of Revere, $1 Million; Town of Scituate, $367,000.
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