$5M to protect Maine coastal communities from climate change

Maine has been awarded $5.1 million in federal funding to support coastal communities and address the impacts of climate change.

“Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s at our doorstep," U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, said in a joint statement. "This significant funding will help protect Maine’s coastal communities, build resilient infrastructure, and support a more sustainable future."

The funding comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Ready Coasts Initiative and is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

The funding will be allocated as follows:

$2,997,876 for the University of Maine’s Maine Sea Grant to help companies develop sustainable packaging and keep plastics out of the Gulf of Maine
$1,654,680 for the Maine Department of Marine Resources to improve habitat resilience and community adaptation in Downeast Maine
$299,707 for the University of Maine’s Maine Sea Grant for community education, research and development of more sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices
$156,150 for the University of Maine’s Maine Sea Grant to educate recreational boaters and commercial fishermen on how to reduce marine debris

The $5.1 million grant is part of the Climate Ready Coast Initiative, which is allocating $562 million nationally to support 149 infrastructure projects in 30 coastal states and territories.

In addition to the grants recommended for Maine specifically, the Climate Ready Initiative recommends funding for other national and regional initiatives that will benefit Maine.

King and Pingree both voted in favor of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. As a result of both bills, Maine communities are in line to receive millions of dollars in investment for climate mitigation.