$3 Million in State Money Available to Fight Coastal Effects of Climate Change

Two separate state grant programs, designed to combat the impact of climate change on the Massachusetts coast, were announced on Tuesday.

All 78 cities and towns along the coast - from the North Shore to the South Shore and from Cape Cod to the South Coast - are eligible.

It is the second round of grant money available for local communities, designed to “address risks of coastal storms and sea level rise, reduce erosion and protect coastal areas from storm damage and flooding.”

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett said it is part of Gov. Deval Patrick’s “record investment in climate change initiatives.”

The grants are run by the Office of Coastal Zone Management.

“Climate change and the resulting sea level rise and increased frequency and intensity of storms are major issues on our coast,” said Bartlett in Tuesday’s announcement. “These two grant programs provide direct funds to coastal communities to help address impacts of erosion and storm damage.”

The first of the two is the Coastal Community Resilience Grant Program, which will provide up to $1.5 million in grants and technical resources “to advance innovative local efforts addressing climate change and sea level rise impacts.”

The money will cover the cost to increase awareness of these issues, plus “assess vulnerability and risk and implement measures to respond, recover and adapt to coastal impacts.”

Each applicant can request up to $350,000 in funding.

Proposals must be submitted by cities or towns, but municipalities are allowed and encouraged to become a partner with a nonprofit group or regional planning agency.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10.

The second program is the Green Infrastructure for Coastal Resilience Pilot Grants Program, which will provide up to $1.5 million in funding and technical resources “for natural approaches addressing coastal erosion and flooding problems,” according to CZM.

Grants can be used for planning, feasibility assessment, design, permitting, construction and monitoring of “green infrastructure projects” that replace hard structures such as seawalls and groins with “natural approaches.”

Applicants may request up to $750,000 in funding. For this grant, municipalities can apply as well as nonprofit organizations with vulnerable coastal property that is publicly accessible.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10.

For both programs, a match of at least 25 percent of the total project cost must come from the municipality and its partner from either cash or in-kind contributions.

“We are pleased to offer these grants to get financial resources and technical support to coastal communities and nonprofit groups working to identify and implement effective solutions to reduce risk associated with coastal storms and sea level rise,” said CZM Director Bruce Carlisle in the announcement. “Together we’ll develop model strategies that can be used along the coast to address climate change impacts while protecting the coastal environment.”

More information about the Coastal Community Resilience Grant Program and the Request for Responses is available online.

For more information about the Green Infrastructure for Coastal Resilience Pilot Grants Program and the Request for Responses, go to the CZM website.