Dear John,

Mainers are tough. $10 billion for coastal restoration can make sure our coast is, too.

Negotiations over much-needed federal infrastructure investments are advancing, but funding levels for coastal restoration and resilience projects fall far short of what’s needed to address the enormity of our nation’s coastal infrastructure needs.

Tell Maine’s Sen. Collins, Sen. King, and Rep. Golden to continue fighting for Maine and rise to this historic opportunity to support our coastal communities. A huge thanks to Rep. Pingree for supporting this essential funding already!

Maine’s thousands of miles of coastline make this funding critical for our state. Drakes Island in York County needs to replace the rotting timber in its main bridge. Branch Pond Dam in Kennebec County needs a fishway to allow endangered Atlantic salmon and commercial alewife to access the Gulf of Maine. Tidal roads in Lincoln County’s Damariscotta are flooding during severe storms and desperately need help.

The ~$1 billion laid out in the bipartisan infrastructure bill right now is not nearly enough to adequately prepare all of our nation’s coastal states for sea-level rise, ecosystem disruption, and other effects we’re already seeing from the climate crisis. Fortunately, we have another opportunity to secure necessary investments this fall: Congress must go big on the Build Back Better budget bill to meet the needs of our coastal communities.

Investing in ocean and coastal restoration funding will help Maine address these urgent needs and many others — and reap benefits for our economy, climate, and communities.

Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create programs that will further these goals and build resilient communities. Send a message to Sen. Collins, Sen. King, and Rep. Golden that we must protect our coastal communities and marine ecosystems.

Maine’s treasured coast needs us now, before it’s too late.

Thanks in advance for taking action,
Kathleen