As Swansea, Massachusetts, prepares for future flooding and more severe coastal weather, the town is receiving state funding to help plan its response.
According to The Herald News, a pair of grants will fund studies in the Bristol County community focused on its marshes and the infrastructure around Town Beach.
Together, the awards amount to $140,270 from Massachusetts' Environment & Climate One Stop — or ECO One Stop — a statewide hub for environmental and climate grant funding.
Here's what to know
Of that total, $79,130 comes from the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program, while $61,140 comes from the Coastal Zone Management Coastal Resilience program.
Those grants will support two planning efforts designed to help Swansea become more resilient to the growing impacts of extreme weather and coastal hazards that put pressure on households and infrastructure.
At the Palmer River, town officials want to study coastal risk and weigh inland salt marsh migration as a possible tool for limiting floods, improving water quality, and reinforcing natural protection.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Planners will look for places where restoration work or land conservation could support that marsh-focused effort. A separate planning track is aimed at Swansea Town Beach, where the town will evaluate different ways to manage dredged material on the waterfront while developing a more resilient long-term approach.
Among the ideas under review is whether increasing the height of the beach dune would better shield nearby residents and infrastructure from storm surge, wave action, and high winds.
State officials said Swansea's awards are included in a $45 million round of funding for 97 projects that are being administered through the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs under the Healey-Driscoll administration.
More background
For households, the costs of repeated coastal flooding and storm damage can add up into expensive repair bills and higher insurance strain, and local governments also face mounting costs to keep public infrastructure in shape.
With the help of state money covering the upfront studies, communities like Swansea do not have to depend solely on local tax revenue to begin resilience planning.
Natural marsh systems are central to the Palmer River analysis because they can serve as flood buffers. If marshes remain healthy and can migrate inland as conditions change, they may absorb floodwater, limit erosion, and help maintain water quality.
At Swansea Town Beach, choices about managing the waterfront can shape public access, emergency planning, and the permitting process later on. Officials said the work is intended to support those later steps, not just short-term fixes.
What's being done?
ECO One Stop was set up by Massachusetts as a single access point for environmental grant programs, intended to simplify how municipalities pursue climate-preparedness funding.
Beyond the two grants Swansea received, the platform offers state funding for work involving dams and seawalls, habitat and water quality, cooling corridors, planning support, and culvert replacement.
The two awards fund planning studies that can guide permitting, restoration, construction, or other protective measures.
Town administrator Mitchell Ruscitti said the awards give Swansea a chance to move from planning toward concrete resilience work.
"We are grateful for this opportunity to build up climate resilience around our natural resources in Swansea," Ruscitti said. "The MVP award and the Coastal Resiliency grant will allow us to take meaningful, tangible steps to ensure our community is prepared for extreme weather events."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
