Politics & Government
Danvers, Beverly, Salem Projects In New Federal Funding Bill
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton said $13.2 million in funding is included in the bill passed by Congress late last week.
!["These projects are truly collaborative and locally driven because they have been developed by community leaders. They will directly address key challenges we face across the 6th District." - U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem)](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/23254324/20240311/123411/styles/patch_image/public/uscapitol___11122000066.jpg)
SALEM, MA — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem) touted $13.2 million headed to 15 North Shore and Merrimack Valley communities as part of the federal appropriations budget that passed Congress late last week.
Moulton said the projects will improve infrastructure, climate resiliency, expand workforce development and veterans services, and invest in childcare and education.
"I am thrilled that over $13 million will soon be making its way to the North Shore," Moulton said. "This funding will improve our infrastructure and water filtration systems, and expand access to housing, childcare, education, and workforce training opportunities. These projects are truly collaborative and locally driven because they have been developed by community leaders. They will directly address key challenges we face across the 6th District.
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Moulton blamed partisan gridlock for delaying the funding "for far too long" and said "our communities deserve better."
"I hope that the next budget process will be far more efficient," he said.
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The FY24 projects in the 6th District include:
Main Street Corridor Multimodal Enhancements (Wakefield)
Recipient: Town of Wakefield
Funding Amount: $500,000
The town of Wakefield will invest in multi-modal enhancements around Lake Quannapowitt, including a new shared-use path and separated bike lane on the lake’s western side and a new shared-use path and separated bike lane project in Quannapowitt Parkway on the lake's northern side. The project will facilitate multimodal transportation to support the heavy pedestrian and cycling traffic around the lake.
Replace Three Major Water Mains for Increased Capacity (Groveland)
Recipient: Town of Groveland
Funding Amount: $959,752
The town of Groveland will replace the water mains on Washington Street, Wood Street, and Balch Ave. These water mains are undersized and are almost a century old. Once completed, these improvements will not only create another water line to the town's nearest water tower but will also improve water quality and quantity. The project will also increase the supply of water to the south side of the town.
Essex Tech Building Expansion for Workforce Development and Veterans’ Programs (Danvers)
Recipient: Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District
Funding Amount: $850,000
Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School District (Essex Tech) will renovate two aging buildings on campus to create a STEAM Academy incorporating workforce training for high school and adult learners. Essex Tech will also construct a veteran outreach center to house a veteran service office, a branch of the Lowell Veterans Center, and the non-profit, Companies2Heroes, a unique service dog training program specializing in dogs working with combat veterans who have been diagnosed with PTS, TBI, or MST.
McPherson Youth Center Expansion (Beverly)
Recipient: City of Beverly
Funding Amount: $1,000,000
The McPherson Youth Center will redesign its campus and building to most effectively use its space to serve the city's youth. Overall, renovation and modernization of the McPherson Youth Center campus provide significant benefits to the entire community, but particularly the physical and mental health of Beverly’s most underserved youth and their families through increased opportunities for socialization, exercise, and learning.
Wastewater Treatment Plant (Rockport)
Recipient: Town of Rockport
Funding Amount: $959,752
The town of Rockport will repair and replace a sewer pipe, pump station, and make necessary upgrades to its wastewater treatment plant. The town witnessed a catastrophic failure of its main pump station in February 2023. The project will ensure the system can operate as required, maintain sanitation, and protect public health.
Complete Streets Multimodal Enhancements Recipient (Tewksbury)
Recipient: Town of Tewksbury
Funding Amount: $850,000
The Livingston Street Transportation Improvement Project will provide multi-modal enhancements for pedestrians, bicycles, and transit in the town of Tewksbury. The scope includes 4,100 feet of sidewalk along Livingston Street between East Street and Roy’s Way, which will connect existing sidewalks on East Street and Livingston Street. The project will address significant issues of connectivity, safety, access,and rideability by bridging a significant gap
in the town's sidewalk network.
LEO Child Care Center Renovation (Lynn)
Recipient: LEO Inc.
Funding Amount: $1,336,279
LEO will renovate and expand its center, dedicating the entire property to a whole-child/whole-family preschool campus for 1700 children and adults annually. LEO is consolidating all Head Start classrooms, adding two additional classrooms, and increasing capacity to 270 low-income 3-5-year-olds. The project will bring their teachers, social-emotional behavior specialists, health advocates, case managers, and content specialists under one roof, amplifying the effectiveness of LEO services.
Residential Water Main Upgrades Housing Development (Amesbury)
Recipient: City of Amesbury
Funding Amount: $959,752
The city of Amesbury will upgrade water mains serving both an affordable housing development and general residences. The city will replace a century-old water main along Main Street, from Rocky Hill Road to the Merrimac Street/Main Street Intersection. The project will ensure that residents have improved water quality, water flow, and fire protection.
PFAS Water Filtration System (Manchester-by-the-Sea)
Recipient: Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea
Funding Amount: $959,752
The town of Manchester-by-the-Sea will test and design a PFAS filtration system. PFAS concentration levels in the Town’s drinking water are at the maximum thresholds set by the Commonwealth and above the new thresholds for which the EPA is promulgating regulations.
Federal funding will enable the Town to test various systems and design the appropriate option. The project will ensure that residents are able to access safe drinking water.
Pathways for Children Center Energy Project (Gloucester)
Recipient: Pathways for Children, Inc.
Funding Amount: $1,330,000
Pathways for Children will bring its Gloucester building’s electrical system up to code, increase security, and improve accessibility. Nearly 200 children and families rely on Pathways in Gloucester for affordable early education and care, while over 1,000 families access their family support programs. More than 80% of the children Pathways serves are from low-income families, and their services are critical to their parents maintaining employment. The project will prevent energy-related disruptions to service, increase building security, and improve access for people of all abilities.
North Shore Community College Science Lab Upgrades (Lynn)
Recipient: North Shore Community College
Funding Amount: $1,000,000
This funding will allow the college to modernize and expand science labs on its campus in the Gateway city of Lynn. This proposed project will fund the renovation of an existing physics lab into a new life sciences lab and increase capacity by renovating rooms adjacent to the current labs into a modernized physics lab. These two new lab spaces will enable NSCC to enhance its curriculum, add capacity for Early College and the Frederick Douglas Academy, and develop workforce programming in Life Sciences.
2Life Communities Affordable Senior Housing Development (Lynn)
Recipient: 2Life Communities
Funding Amount: $1,000,000
This funding will allow for the completion of housing for extremely low-income and very low-income seniors in the City of Lynn. It will provide 148 affordable apartments for households earning up to 60% AMI, with Section 8 and MRVP PBVs for 39 apartments to serve households up to 30% AMI and 69 apartments up to 50% AMI.
PFAS Water Filtration System (Wilmington)
Recipient: Town of Wilmington
Funding Amount: $959,752
The town of Wilmington will design and construct a PFAS filtration system and water mains. This project covers the replacement of granular activated carbon (GAC), helping to mitigate PFAS levels. The project will improve water quality and increase available water flow for firefighting by removing accumulated deposits from the existing water main.
Willow Street Sewer Pipe Renovation (Salem)
Recipient: City of Salem
93 Washington Street
Salem, MA 01970
Funding Amount: $959,752
The city of Salem will renovate and bolster the existing pile-supported trunk sewer in Salem Harbor, to avoid a potential collapse and the ensuing environmental damage to the community. The aging trunk sewer is frequently subject to storm damage; if it were to fail, there could be a prolonged discharge of sewage into Salem Harbor, creating significant environmental and public health risks.
USACE New England Confined Aquatic Disposal Facility Study (MA-06)
Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District
Funding Amount: $500,000
The USACE New England District will conduct a study that has been authorized under WRDA. Due to the history of industrialization in New England, there are a number of waterways and harbors that are contaminated with heavy metals and toxic substances. Contaminated sediment cannot be deposited at offshore disposal sites. Confined Aquatic Disposal cells are increasingly becoming the selected option for the management of unacceptably contaminated sediments. A study of regional CADs is necessary for the New England region in order to assess how many additional CADs are required to support future dredging projects.
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
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