NAHANT – The Commonwealth’s Office of Coastal Zone Management awarded the town a $147,295 grant this week to address erosion at 40 Steps Beach.
CZM’s Coastal Resilience Grant Program helps coastal municipalities manage their shorelines in an effort to mitigate the impacts of climate change such as storms, storm surges, flooding, erosion, and sea-level rise.
Nahant will also provide $38,650 in funding for a total of roughly $185,000, which will be used to create a cobble beach as a first line of defense against flooding and erosion, and to plant vegetation to further secure the area. In a written statement, Tom Zuppa, a spokesperson for the Police Department, said the coastal bank’s stability is vital given its proximity to Nahant Road.
“The adjacent Nahant Road carries critical public utilities and is an essential access and emergency road for those in east Nahant,” Zuppa wrote.
After a nor’easter flooded the town, blocking Nahant Road, creating a 50-foot debris pile on Castle Road, and causing roughly $2 million in damage in 2018, Nahant has worked with state and local partners to plan long-term environmental-impact solutions.
Last year, the town received a $96,900 grant to assist with the initial coastal-resilience-project planning. The town is currently working with environmental consultant Sustainable Coastal Solutions, of Falmouth, to plan additional coastal-protection projects.
“Nahant is keenly aware of the impact of climate change as a coastal community, especially changes at 40 Steps Beach,” Board of Selectmen Chairman Mark Cullinan said. “Doing nothing is not an option. Sustainable Coastal Solutions has developed a strong plan that will address erosion and provide a long-term solution.”
In the next few weeks, Town Administrator Tony Barletta said the town will work with the Army Corps of Engineers to secure work permits, kicking off an estimated one- or two-year permitting process.
“We’re meeting with CZM next week to go over the deliverables in the timeline, but good news there that we’re making progress on that project,” Barletta said.
Barletta also thanked Gov. Maura Healey’s administration for its help in protecting Nahant from the coastal impacts of climate change. He added that as a narrow peninsula, Nahant is especially vulnerable to flooding and erosion as sea levels rise, making the funding all the more necessary.
In a written statement, Healey noted that extreme weather events in recent years have added an extra layer of importance to these grants.
“In the past year, we’ve seen extreme storms bring catastrophic damage across the state. We need urgent action to address these escalating impacts of climate change,” Healey said. “Building resilience along our coastal communities is a matter of public health, safety, and a strong economy. This grant program demonstrates our administration’s commitment to working with our local partners to expand and improve climate change solutions.”
