PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 26, 2021
Ten communities on Casco Bay are banding together to develop defenses against coastal flooding caused by climate change. Over the next two years, the towns of Freeport, Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Portland, South Portland, Chebeague Island and Long Island will invest a half million dollars on projects that harness the power of nature to defend against flooding. Solutions could include restoring salt marshes and beach dunes, making rain gardens to reduce stormwater runoff and landscaping parks to reduce flooding and runoff, and protecting shorelines using natural materials rather than expensive sea walls. Funding will be provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which has awarded $250,000 to the Greater Portland Council of Governments for the regional initiative. The council raised an additional $250,000 in matching funds from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, foundation grants and donations from municipalities.