BOSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $2.8 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse the Town of Rockport for repairs to the Long Beach Seawall after it was damaged by a storm in 2018.
The $2,762,936 Public Assistance grant will cover part of the cost of repairing the seawall after it was damaged during the March 2-3, 2018 severe winter storm that saw wave action and storm surge undermine and erode the structure.
In addition to repairing the concrete seawall, a set of concrete access stairs located at the southwest end of the seawall at the Gloucester-Rockport town line will be replaced and re-located entirely within the town limits.
Repairs will include a deeper wall section with a reinforced concrete footing and steel sheet piles at the toe of the wall to help prevent future scouring from wave action and surge, improvements that FEMA agreed to fund as part of its effort to mitigate future possible damage.
“FEMA is pleased to assist the Town of Rockport with these repairs,” said FEMA Region I Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Building back stronger to mitigate future damage is always a wise investment.”