Salem Awarded $900K In Climate Grants For Winter Island, Collins Cove

SALEM, MA — Salem was awarded more than $900,000 in grants from the state Office of Coastal Management to facilitate two coastal resilience projects involving Winter Island and Collins Cove.

The awards were part of the $5.2 million in grant funding the Healey-Driscoll administration announced this week.

"Climate change is not only an environmental threat to our coastline, it's an economic threat to our state," Gov. Maura Healey said. "The recent hurricanes have underscored the urgency of this issue, reminding us that we must be proactive in safeguarding our communities. These Coastal Resilience Grants are part of our defense, protecting our shores from sea level rise and erosion, while strengthening coastal communities and preventing future damage."

The Winter Island Park Pathway and Bank Restoration was awarded $419,000. Funding will go toward allowing the city to evaluate potential options to stabilize three sections of eroding shoreline around Winter Island.

The project will continue efforts to manage the impacts of pedestrian access and improve community understanding of coastal storms and sea level rise.

An additional $500,000 was targeted toward a flood risk reduction strategy for the Collins Cove Park Neighborhood. The funding will allow the city to develop preliminary designs for protecting the neighborhood and its infrastructure from increased flooding risks.

"Our coastal communities are on the front lines of climate change with rising seas and more severe storms," said Lt. Gov. and former Mayor Kim Driscoll. "Through a whole-of-government approach, the Coastal Resilience Grant awards provide essential funding that would otherwise be a significant financial burden.

"These grants empower communities to develop and implement innovative strategies that strengthen their defense against climate impacts."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)