Stonington gets federal coastal resiliency design grant
Mystic — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced they have awarded a $42,000 grant to the town of Stonington to design a living shoreline to restore Chippechaug Cove marsh on Mason's Island.
First Selectwoman Danielle Chesebrough said Wednesday the town applied for the grant on behalf of a group of residents seeking to protect the cove and adjacent roadway from storms. The group will provide $26,000 in matching funds for a total of $68,000.
NFWF's description of the project states that it will "maintain marsh habitat in Chippechaug Cove and build resilience for the community against rising sea levels by buffering Chippechaug Trail roadway."
The grant was among 16 totaling $25.2 million awarded to help coastal communities affected by hurricanes and wildfires in 2020 or 2021 to increase their resilience to future natural disasters.
According to NFWF and NOAA, the "sixteen projects will help communities better withstand natural disasters and recover more quickly afterwards, all while improving habitat for fish and wildlife. Restoring and protecting natural systems will help protect coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, sea-level rise inundation, erosion and wildfires."
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