Leverett was recently awarded $50,000 from the DER’s Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grant Program to conduct field data collection and analysis, design and engineering, and permitting for the replacement of a culvert on a tributary to Roaring Brook, a coldwater fishery.  Upgrading the culvert eliminates the risk of collapse, protecting infrastructure and access between Amherst and Routes 202 and improving fish and wildlife passage. The CRMA program is designed to help communities replace existing culverts with structures that will be more flood resilient and meet the Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards.  Please contact Brian Kelder (brian.kelder@mass.gov, 617-626-1541) for more information.

The Franklin Regional Council of Governments is partnering with the Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) to host a forum highlighting some options to secure funding assistance for municipal culvert replacement projects. The free event will be held on October 30, 2019 from 2-4 pm, at the JW Olver Transit Center, 12 Olive Street, Greenfield.   The forum will highlight the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program, MassDOT Small Bridge Program, MEMA/FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants and the DER Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grant Program, as well as other state and federal funding sources. Please contact Brian Kelder (brian.kelder@mass.gov, 617-626-1541) for more information.