Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Tarr in the News: Merrimack Restoration Project Awarded Over $200k
Press
Release Offered by Department of Fish and Game, Division of Ecological
Restoration, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Recently, I had the pleasure of sharing
a quote to be included in the press release relative to the 'Healey-Driscoll
Administration Awards Over $700K to Support Regional Restoration Partnerships'.
This grant funding is intended to support partnerships to restore rivers and
wetlands.
"The Merrimack River Watershed is a
critical environmental resource for our region and our state, and its health
depends on the strength of its tributary watersheds,” said Senate Minority
Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester).
“This grant funding will make possible
the type of fundamental projects, such as dam removal and culvert improvements,
that improve flow and water quality, which in turn support ecosystem vitality
and the many benefits the river provides every day. Moreover, these projects
build on the momentum we are creating in the region for a comprehensive suite
of measures to maximize the quality of the river. I am grateful to my friend,
former Senator Ed Kennedy, for his partnership in bringing a wide array of stakeholders
together for a collaborative effort that has been growing steadily and holds
great promise for the future.”
Merrimack Restoration Partnership Grant
Awardee Amount: $228,300
Lead Organization/Awardee: Merrimack
River Watershed Council
The Merrimack Restoration Partnership
unites regional partners to advance watershed-scale restoration and climate
resilience across the Nashua, Lower Merrimack, Sudbury-Assabet-Concord,
Spicket, Shawsheen, and Beaver Brook sub-watersheds in Northeast and North
Central Massachusetts.
This award will support high-priority ecological restoration projects—including dam removals, and culvert assessments and replacements—while also advancing urban stream revitalization in Lowell and Lawrence to improve water quality, restore floodplains, engage communities, and expand public access to local rivers and streams.
