Penobscot
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Brewer Shorefront Project
Gets Funds BREWER - A $225,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has firmed up funding for Brewer's shorefront stabilization project on a stretch of riverfront from the Joshua Chamberlain bridge to the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Andrew "Drew" Sachs, Brewer's economic development director, said U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe is responsible for getting the latest grant, which will be used in the first phase of the city's comprehensive riverfront development effort. Before a hiking trail and other features can be installed as part of the project, the bank along the Penobscot River must be stabilized to prevent significant erosion. To that end, city officials have been acquiring federal and state funds and now have about $3.2 million dedicated to shorefront stabilization. The project will cost about $4 million, Sachs said, which means additional funding will be needed, but officials expressed confidence that would be obtained within the next few weeks. "We're pretty close at this point," Sachs said. City officials will continue to work with the state's congressional delegation to secure more money. The goal is to start firming up the shoreline by mid- to late summer. This also is the timeline for installing the Penobscot Landing Children's Garden in back of Dead River Oil Co. According to Sachs, the two projects will happen simultaneously. Funding for shorefront restoration has come from the following sources: $750,000 from HUD (including the $225,000 grant just announced); $1 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation; $200,000 in matching funds from the city. In addition, the Maine Department of Transportation has given $57,000 for the design of the waterfront trail system for the riverfront revitalization project. City officials are expecting more federal funds to be funneled through the federal and state DOT offices to help with the acquisition of rights of way from property owners and for construction design work. Sachs said the city is awaiting the conclusion of the permitting process through the Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before starting construction design for the entire project. A copyright story from the Bangor Daily News by Nancy Garland, Of the NEWS Staff: Saturday, March 8, 2003. |
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The
City of Brewer