Massachusetts to Fund Upgrades for Dams, Coastal Seawalls

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration says it will invest more than $13 million in shoring up many of the state’s dams and coastal seawalls.

Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett, secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, plans to announce the loans and grants on Tuesday at the Scituate Maritime Center.

The funding will be partly from an environmental bond bill passed by the Legislature and signed by Patrick last month and from the state’s Dam and Seawall Repair and Removal Fund.

Many of the state’s nearly 3,000 dams have been labeled as aging and structurally deficient. Many no longer serve their original purpose.

The administration says the effort will help rehabilitate dams and keep drinking water safe and protect coastal communities from damage.