NORTH ATTLEBORO — Town Manager Micheal Borg and Emergency Management Director Christopher Coleman are pleased to announce that the Town of North Attleboro has been awarded a grant for the town’s Ten Mile River dredging project.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Congressman Jake Auchincloss secured $1,500,000 in funding as part of the House Appropriations Committee’s omnibus spending bill to supplement the costs of North Attleboro’s Ten Mile River dredging project. To secure this funding, community stakeholders submitted a community funding project request to Congressman Auchincloss’ office late last year.
“The Ten Mile River dredging project is currently our greatest priority in the Town’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan as it will help to mitigate potential flooding hazards within our community,” Town Manager Borg said. “I’d like to thank all community members who assisted in the process of applying for the community funding project request and Congressman Auchincloss’ office for securing these funds for us.”
Added Town Council President Justin Pare, “Thanks to Congressman Auchincloss’ support, the Town of North Attleborough will have the vital funds needed to conduct integral hazard mitigation work that will benefit the community for years to come.”
With the $1,500,000 in funding, the Town of North Attleboro will design and work to dredge the Ten Mile River as a flood prevention measure.
This project intends to dredge the entire 9,200-foot length between Whiting’s Pond and Falls Pond, which includes two State maintained culverts. It will also re-establish two small overflow ponds and repair stone walls.
The overall goal of this project is to restore the riverway’s capacity and abate systematic flooding in the downtown area that has caused repetitive damage and safety issues as both the Fire and Police Departments are adjacent to the River and could be delayed due to flooding that makes main roads impassable.
The dredging project will also open up new doors of economic opportunities for small businesses as well as preserve the public health of the community as dangerous contamination such as, but not limited to, E. coli, fecal coliform, turbidity, and phosphorus from abandoned mills have built up in the riverbed over the years.
“Congressman Aunchincloss fought tooth and nail for this vital funding to dredge the river. His success in his advocacy is a tribute to his ability to bring stakeholders together and I’m proud to stand with so many stakeholders who helped make this happen,” said Rep. Adam Scanlon.
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