A project to assess the flooding vulnerability of one of Maine's most important lobstering ports is among a slate of improvements that will receive state funding.
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry says it has awarded nearly $270,000 in its latest round of coastal community grants. The grants are designed to help coastal areas reduce flooding, restore fishery habitat and protect working waterfronts.
One of the grants is a $60,000 award to the town of Stonington to hire an engineering consultant to audit the vulnerability of infrastructure such as pumping stations and sewer lines. Stonington is a major port for the state's lobster industry.
Another award is a grant of more than $50,000 to the city of South Portland to create a vulnerability assessment map for the city.