A restoration crew plants a living shoreline at Hurst Creek outside of Cambridge, Maryland to stabilize movement of sandy dredged material beneficially used along 200 linear feet. Maryland DNR photo.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced more than $1.275 million in competitive grants for six climate resilience projects to help communities plan, design and construct solutions to withstand flooding and other weather-related events.
The selected projects will reduce risk for vulnerable communities, incorporate climate change data into existing plans and policies, and develop nature-based or natural solutions to help control flooding.
Funding is provided by the state’s Resiliency Through Restoration Initiative and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is the last year of state funding available through the Resiliency Through Restoration Initiative, a pilot program begun in 2017. In total, the program advanced 36 restoration designs, 20 construction projects, and three adaptive management projects since 2017, bringing assistance to 38 communities in 13 local jurisdictions.
Grant funding for Fiscal Year 2026 is awarded to the following local governments and community partners, pending final approval by federal partners:
Anne Arundel County:
- Arundel Rivers Federation – To design a living shoreline with breakwater and marsh migration features that protect Proctor’s Subdivision community shoreline while preserving and enhancing existing natural resources adjacent to Jack Creek Park.
Cecil County:
- West View Shores Civic Association – To compliment a living shoreline by designing sacrificial dune, marsh migration corridor, and green infrastructure practices that enhance coastal protection and address stormwater flooding along community roads.
Kent County:
- Town of Chestertown – To work with Eastern Shore Land Conservancy to integrate a Climate Resilience Element with sea level rise, Urban3, and zoning data into the town’s Zoning Ordinance. This project will be shared with Eastern Shore jurisdictions to demonstrate how a greater understanding of financial impacts due to land loss can inform decision-making and to serve as a model for integrating resilience into comprehensive plans and zoning ordinance updates.
Somerset County:
- Somerset County – To design a living shoreline with headland, beach nourishment, vegetated dune, and beneficial use of dredged material features to protect Fisher of Men Foundation and Deal Island Road infrastructure.
Worcester County:
- Town of Berlin – To develop a climate resiliency and adaptation plan that evaluates current and future flood risk, identifies impacts to infrastructure, and recommends short-, medium- and long-term climate adaptation strategies to reduce risk. The town will update its Comprehensive Plan to include resiliency elements identified in the project.
- Maryland Coastal Bays Program – To construct about 4,400 linear feet of living shoreline with wetland enhancement on the north side of Tizzard Island to protect wildlife habitat while buffering mainland coastal communities from coastal storm impacts.
Beginning in mid-July, the Department of Natural Resources will accept applications for the next fiscal year through the department’s online Grants Gateway, which also include some modifications based on state and federal funding limitations.
