Posted on January 26, 2022
BOSTON — Several communities north of Boston will be receiving a windfall of federal money this year to dredge local rivers and coastal waterways.
On Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it will send $20.8 million to Massachusetts in the current fiscal year to strengthen port and waterway supply chains and bolster climate resilience.
Nationwide, the Army Corps will spend $14 billion to fund 500 projects, with a focus on easing supply chain problems and addressing climate change.
The spending comes largely from President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure deal, which he signed in November, along with pandemic relief funding.
Locally, a number of communities north of Boston will share in the latest disbursement of federal funding.
The Army Corps’ plans call for diverting $4.4 million in funding to dredge the Essex River; an additional $2.95 million to dredge Salem Harbor; and $2.5 million for dredging Newburyport’s harbor.
Members of the state’s congressional delegation who pushed for the funding praised the Biden administration’s decision to release the money.
“From fortifying our communities bracing for the present-day impacts of climate change, to strengthening our waterways and port infrastructure to sustain our 21st century shipping economy, Army Corps funding for these projects is critical to economic success in the region and will make our communities safer for years to come,” Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Malden, said in a statement.
Rep Seth Moulton, D-Salem, said the influx of federal dollars “provides an incredible opportunity to help build resiliency, enhance public safety, and bolster our local economies.”
“With almost $10 million worth of funding for dredging in waterways like Newburyport and Salem harbors, the impact these funds have will be felt by communities across the 6th District, and I look forward to seeing progress in these projects,” he said in a statement.
Nationally, many of the projects funded by the spending plan are tied to reducing supply chain bottlenecks by making it easier to transport goods, according to a White House fact sheet. That includes a plan to spend $858 million to replace locks on the Ohio River so water levels can rise enough for large cargo ships.
Among the climate change projects is a plan to spend $1.1 billion to preserve the Everglades in Florida by storing surface water runoff that causes pollution.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@northofboston.com.
