A state commission met with local leaders in York County Friday to learn how this year's extreme storms affected infrastructure, the economy, and the public.
Maine's Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission is charged with reviewing and evaluating Maine's response to the storms and developing a plan for future extreme weather events.
The Old Orchard Beach Pier lost five feet of sand around its pilings and beach dunes were washed away.
Lori Gramlich, State Representative and Executive Director of the Ocean Park Association, said the beach is the economic driver for the town.
"The dunes on that stretch of our coastline were robust and hardy before the January storms. They are decimated. Without our beach we have no economy. It's that simple," Gramlich said.
Old Orchard Beach officials said the town has a window of just 14 to 16 weeks in its earning season and needs help from the state to get dunes rebuilt. The Department of Environmental Protection said it is streamlining some permitting processes.
Dan Tishman, Co-chair of the Commission, said building back may not be the right long-term solution.
"Just rebuilding the dune may be a feel good thing as opposed to a permanent solution. But that means getting the right type of technical assistance to hypothesize what's the 100-year fix rather than let's get it done today," Tishman said.
Tishman said relocating or raising structures protected by the dunes may make more sense in the long term.
Community leaders said they need more financial resources to do any of that.
The state has made $60 million available to rebuild working waterfronts and $10 million for business and non-profit recovery.
York County emergency management said more than 2400 homeowners were approved for just over $3.8 million for damage reimbursements and other critical needs.
Applications for aid are due June 10 and 25. Learn more here.
