NAHANT — The Town of Nahant has been awarded a $3.5 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stabilize and restore dunes along Short Beach, providing significant climate resiliency.
The Nahant Short Beach Dune Restoration project was developed in the aftermath of a March 2, 2018, nor’easter that pummeled the coastline. The storm caused $4 million in damage, including to the Town Wharf seawall. The Carney Causeway — the only road in and out of Nahant — was closed for several hours on three consecutive days to remove storm debris.
Nahant was awarded state grants through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, which were used to bring together key stakeholders, assess the potential impact of natural hazards and climate change, and how the community, businesses and town services may be affected.
With Short Beach identified as the community’s top priority, community leaders worked with U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, state lawmakers and state agencies to apply for grant funding for the restoration.
“This grant can literally save lives. If the town is cut off in a storm, Nahant will be stranded from the rest of Massachusetts,” Rep. Moulton said at a Feb. 4 press conference at the Nahant Life Saving Station on Nahant Road, steps from Short Beach. The station itself was built after eight people died from a coal-schooner wreck on Short Beach in 1898.
“This is obviously an unacceptable risk. This funding will help reduce the risk of flood damage and erosion along Nahant Road and increase resilience against future sea level rise,” Rep. Moulton said.
Nahant, at one square mile, is the smallest town in the state. A large percentage of the town is coastline and prone to weather-related damage.
Nahant Road is the only roadway to connect “Big Nahant” to “Little Nahant” and the mainland. If the roadway were to flood out, “Little Nahant” would be cut off from all land-based evacuation routes. Residents would be cut off from the local emergency shelter at Johnson School and could not be easily reached by first responders.
State Sen. Brendan Crighton recalled touring Nahant following the 2018 storm, days after winning his seat.
“You could barely get over the Causeway, because water had taken over. I have seen storms before, but never like this. It looked like there were several large ponds and lakes throughout town, not to mention the erosion,” he said.
The Nahant Short Beach Dune Restoration will stabilize and restore more than a half mile of dune, using native soils to raise its height from its current 14 to 15 feet to 18 feet.
“This project will be the first in the region to utilize natural elements to protect the built environment from coastal flooding,” said Dawn Brantley, Director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. “The geography of the area offers a significant challenge of a single point of access, and I applaud the Town’s creativity in coming up with a solution in such a small space, where traditional methods of construction are not feasible.”
The award letter was signed on Jan. 17. The project is currently in the control of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, which is developing the necessary agreement for the Town to access funding.
The Town of Nahant wishes to thank the following for their collaboration and support on this project: Rep. Moulton and his staff; U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey; state Sen. Crighton; state Rep. Sean Reid; state Rep. Peter Capano; former state Rep. Lori Ehrlich; the Federal Emergency Management Agency; MEMA Director Brantley, as well as Shelly O’Toole, MEMA State Hazard Mitigation Officer.
The Town also wishes to recognize Police Chief and Emergency Management Director Timothy Furlong, Fire Chief Austin Antrim, and the many Town staff and community members whose persistence contributed to the grant award.
