On January 22, 2025, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that it would begin accepting applications to fund coastal sand dune restoration and protection projects.
Last year, the Legislature allocated $1 million for the 2024/2025 fiscal year for restoration, protection, and enhancement of sand dune systems. The DEP will use this money to provide funding for qualifying projects.
To qualify for funding, a project must be located in a coastal sand dune system where public access is provided to a beach or waterfront area adjacent to the coastal sand dune. Qualifying projects may include the following:
- Physical projects to restore, nourish, or revegetate coastal sand dunes
- Projects to protect or conserve coastal sand dunes via legal mechanisms such as conservation easements
- Public education and/or technical assistance programs to restore and protect coastal sand dunes
Among the criteria the DEP will evaluate are the project’s feasibility, community benefit, cost efficiency (e.g., other funding sources), and habitat enhancement. If selected, the DEP may pay up to 50% of the project costs (except for projects that include technical assistance and public education the DEP may pay up to 100% of the cost).
The application deadline is February 24, 2025.