On April 22nd 2024, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the distribution of $123 million to support state coastal management programs and national estuarine research reserves from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This funding is intended to to support coastal habitat restoration planning, engineering, and design projects, and implementation and land conservation projects.
We are proud to announce that the Town of Wells is the recipient of approximately $2.87 million in funding, aimed towards habitat restoration and protection to enhance salt marsh resilience to sea level rise in the Wells Research Reserve. This project will acquire a conservation easement for 9.5 acres of salt marsh and 8.5 acres of freshwater wetlands and uplands and restore the marsh’s tidal hydrology. The Town of Wells and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve will partner to restore the protected marsh by replacing a failing and undersized municipal roadway crossing on Drakes Island. The new bridge at Drakes Island will be more resilient to extreme storm events, improve safety for motorists and pedestrians, and allow for the migration of tidal marsh as sea level rise progresses.
On April 22nd, representatives from the White House, Maine government, as well as local municipalities came together at Scarborough marsh for a press conference to announce the recipients who have been awarded this grant. Wells Select Board member, Bob Foley, Town Consultant, Carol Murray, and members from Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve attended the event to celebrate this achievement.
Executive Director of the Wells Reserve, Paul Dest shared, “The Drakes Island project represents the best of what the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has to offer Maine and the nation: It will construct a new bridge that will withstand future rising seas and storms, develop a plan to restore tidal habitats for a range of wildlife species, and protect a beautiful keystone parcel that connects to a landscape of conservation lands in one of Maine’s fastest growing communities.”
The Town of Wells would like to thank our Town Consultant, Carol Murray, for her efforts in obtaining these grant funds. We look forward to the vast improvements that this funding will provide for Wells residents and the community as a whole.