The inaugural round of the Massachusetts Dredging Program is now open, according to the Baker-Polito Administration.
This is the Commonwealth’s first standalone grant program to offer focused funding for saltwater dredging on a competitive, annual basis.
Grant funding will help coastal communities maintain and improve their navigational waterways and support the long-term growth and sustainability of the state’s maritime economy.
The Massachusetts Dredging Program is financed through capital funds allocated under the 2018 Economic Development Bill, which was signed by Governor Baker on August 9, 2018.
The program builds on the success of the 2018 Navigational Dredging Pilot Program, which awarded $3.6 million to 10 projects, tapping into $3.9 million in local funding.
“ The Massachusetts Dredging Program is an important new tool that directly responds to Massachusetts’ coastal communities’ desire to conduct dredging work, opening up their waterways for expanded activity and commerce ,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito .
All Massachusetts coastal communities are eligible to apply to the dredging program’s 2019 grant round. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, with a particular emphasis placed on shovel-ready projects that contribute to the economic significance, recreational value, public safety, and/or coastal resiliency of Massachusetts’ coastal harbors.
Applications will be evaluated by the program administrator, the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED), in consultation with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
EOHED anticipates awarding up to $4 million for multiple projects in the 2019 Grant Round, and requires a minimum 50% match for any application to be considered.
Applications for the Massachusetts Dredging Program 2019 grant round are due May 1, 2019.