$10 Million East Chop Bluff Grant in Danger of Being Rescinded
Town officials said the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, awarded to the town in 2022, may be rescinded, similar to the $90 million in federal grants the Trump Administration cancelled in Massachusetts communities earlier this month.
A $10 million federal grant that was awarded to help pay for the reconstruction of the East Chop bluff in Oak Bluffs may be in jeopardy, town officials said this week.
Oak Bluffs assistant town administrator Wendy Brough told the select board Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, awarded to the town in 2022, may be rescinded, similar to the $90 million in federal grants the Trump Administration cancelled in Massachusetts communities earlier this month.
“I’ve been reaching out to our local, state, federal, representative and senators office to see how they can help,” she said. “They’ve been receptive, and if they get any news, they’ll share it with us.”
The town currently has close to $17 million secured for the project, including the $10 million. The project is expected to cost about $33 million.
The bluff has been eroding for years and East Chop Drive was closed in 2018.
The bluff has been eroding for years and East Chop Drive was closed in 2018.
In case the grant is pulled, town officials are exploring other funding avenues to bridge in the financial gap for the project.
The town has been working with the state’s Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO). FFIO is a state agency under Gov. Maura Healey that tracks possible federal funding avenues for projects.
The project has been years in the making. The 2,400 feet of coastline of the bluff has been eroding for years, with much of East Chop Drive having been closed to motor vehicles since 2018.
Plans for the project were greenlit by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission earlier this year, with money approved by town voters aiding the $10 million to fund the first phase of the project. The project was scheduled to begin this coming fall and construction was expected to last about 15 months.
The FEMA grant would also cover all the infrastructural changes needed for the reconstruction of the bluffs, which include a temporary pier. The grant is from FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The program supports local governments and Tribal Nations to reduce their hazard risk, according to their website.
A $75,000 grant to the town of Gosnold to help protect Cuttyhunk’s water supply was cancelled in previous rounds of cuts.
No details on the bluff grant have been finalized yet, Ms. Brough said.
“Everybody’s just waiting to see where the new administration is going to head,” she said.
Comments
The east chop Association
All kidding asideThe east chop Association enjoys enormous tax breaks for all of its “parks” if they paid taxes on them for all these years, we’d be able to pay cash to fix this. Leave the road closed tear up the asphalt make it a park for the entire community to enjoy. It could be amazing all native plantings some benches and a view of the sea.
May be rescinded creates
George Stein OBMay be rescinded creates drama worthy of this publication inciting speculation? Who, what, where , why and how is actual journalism. No source or quotes just false impression being given print
Wholeheartedly agree. TDS
Enough Already Oak BluffsWholeheartedly agree. TDS fear mongering at it's best.
Here we go again...Do not
Robbie OBHere we go again...Do not blame Trump. This is what happens when the funds are granted and the citizens and the town delay and fight how this project has to be tweaked here and there over useless changes and all this does is add more cost to the project to make a few feel better. If you just took the money once granted and started the project it would have been completed by now and Mr Trump would not have been able to stop it. Doge could have built this 5 years earlier at half the cost. Now what is this going to cost??
Those “other funding avenues
Roddy Seasonal VisitorThose “other funding avenues “ should have been explored and utilized BEFORE asking and expecting the U.S. taxpayer to bail your island out. Not crying for you at all.
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