Canton Receives $130K Grant For Watershed Pollution Prevention

CANTON, MA – The town of Canton was awarded a conservation grant Wednesday to protect from pollution from stormwater runoff and erosion. Canton was one of eight local projects and one statewide project awarded grants by the Baker-Polito administration, using funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"The Commonwealth’s water resources are critical assets for the state and its municipalities," Gov. Charlie Baker said in a press release. "We are proud to partner with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and local communities to protect these resources across the Commonwealth from erosion and stormwater runoff."

Canton received $134,784 to construct best management practices (BMPs) along Beaver Meadow Brook, Pequit Brook Watershed and tributaries to the Neponset River. Five other projects will implement BMPs to mitigate the effects of polluted stormwater runoff.

"This grant will assist the Town of Canton in protecting the Beaver Meadow Brook and the Pequit Brook Watershed, both of which are crucial natural resources to the community," State Senator Walter F. Timilty said in a statement. "I would like to thank the Baker-Polito Administration, as well as the EPA, for recognizing Canton’s need for these funds and allowing them to move forward with this project."

The full list of projects recommended for funding is below:

Town of Amesbury – $352,000

Project: The town will apply alum to Lake Attitash to reduce internal phosphorus loading to stop frequent harmful algal blooms.

Town of Bellingham – $97,895

Project: Grant funds will be used to assist the implementation of BMPs at the town’s Municipal Center to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff.

Town of Brewster – $105,000

Project: Grant funds will be used to restore tidal flow, water quality, and salt marsh area by installing BMPs and upgrading an undersized culvert.

Town of Canton – $134,784

Project: This project will construct BMPs along Beaver Meadow Brook and in the Pequit Brook Watershed, tributaries to the Neponset River.

Town of Franklin – $125,000

Project: The town, partnering with a redevelopment project, will implement stormwater BMPs for a public roadway.

Town of Great Barrington – $288,925

Project: The goal is to install structural BMPs on Knob Hill Road to capture sediment and pollutants that led to the impairment of Lake Mansfield.

Town of Millbury – $150,000

Project: The town will reduce sediment and nutrient loads as well as the quantity and velocity of stormwater flows to the Blackstone River, through the installation of BMPs.

Town of Westford – $99,982

Project: The goal is to develop a stormwater utility that meets the stormwater management, social and technical needs of the community.

Statewide (Geosyntec) – $180,970

Project: Grants funds will be used to continue the success of the Massachusetts Watershed Based Plan’s web-based tool and develop a statewide lake trophic response modeling tool.

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