Chincoteague to receive $65K in flood prevention funding

Flood prevention and protection projects across the state will receive a total of $53.9 million in awards, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation announced March 20.

This fourth round of grants and loans from the Community Flood Preparedness Fund includes $65,000 to the Town of Chincoteague on the Eastern Shore for development of a resilience plan, as well as regional training and education to build climate resiliency capacity.

The partnership between the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Old Dominion University’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (ICAR) supported the successful grant application. The partnership hopes to expand on this success and offer its free assistance to other Eastern Shore communities that remain particularly at risk to flooding and sea level rise.

According to DCR, the newly funded projects will expand flood prevention and protection projects, capacity building, and planning and studies throughout the Commonwealth.

Jay Ford, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Virginia Policy Manager, said in a statement:

“We are excited to see the Town of Chincoteague’s award to develop its resilience plan and increase training and education. The Eastern Shore remains one of the most vulnerable communities on the East Coast to flooding and sea level rise. But it lacks the resources to tackle this challenge on its own. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s partnership with ICAR was honored to help develop this application. The community will now benefit from state funds to help protect the community and the Eastern Shore’s future. 

“There are tremendous federal and state funding opportunities available right now for addressing increased flooding. CBF and ODU are happy to help Eastern Shore communities access these funds. We look forward to working with communities around the Eastern Shore in pursuing funding and designing solutions to protect our culture, economy, and natural resources for generations to come.”

Jessica Whitehead, Executive Director of ICAR, issued the following statement:

“The ICAR and CBF partnership came from an investment by state lawmakers, an investment intended to help enable Virginia communities to become more resilient and access essential funding for projects that protect communities from sea level rise and flooding risks. We are excited to build on this success so more communities around the Eastern Shore and Commonwealth benefit from sustainable climate resiliency solutions.”