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City of Stamford Receives $2.73 Million Federal Grant for Upgrades to the Stamford Hurricane Protection Barrier and Pump Stations

Post Date:12/22/2023 10:30 AM

411-4113121_seal-of-stamford-connecticut-city-of-stamford-logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City of Stamford

 

Thursday, December 21, 2023

 

Contact:

Lauren Meyer

203-977-5115

lmeyer@stamfordct.gov

MAYOR SIMMONS AND CONGRESSMAN JIM HIMES ANNOUNCE $2.73 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO UPGRADE STAMFORD HURRICANE PROTECTION BARRIER AND PUMP STATIONS

STAMFORD, CT – Mayor Caroline Simmons and Congressman Jim Himes announced that the City of Stamford received a $2.73 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to upgrade the city’s hurricane protection barrier and pump station. Funding for this project will provide emergency power generators for the pump stations. It will also replace and upgrade the aging pumps and electrical equipment to comply with current building codes. 

The Stamford Hurricane Barrier is over 2 miles long and consists of a 4,000 ft concrete floodwall and a rock-faced earthen dike extending along the east bank of the West Branch of Stamford Harbor. It continues with a 3,600 ft rock-faced earthen dike with a 90-foot gated opening across the East Branch of Stamford Harbor and a 4,400 ft long dike in the Westcott Cove area. There are three storm water pump stations – Dyke Lane, Wampanaw, and Cummings – and an East Branch pump station/navigation gate as part of the barrier.

The Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority (SWPCA) operates and maintains the Stamford Hurricane Protection Barrier and pump stations, with the exception of the East Branch pump station and navigation gate, which are operated and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. More than 15,000 people live within Stamford’s coastal Cove, Shippan, and Sound End neighborhoods.

“The Stamford Hurricane Barrier provides critical protection against hurricanes to 600 acres across the city,” said Mayor Caroline Simmons. “I want to thank Congressman Himes and our federal delegation for their advocacy and support for this critical funding. It will ensure our critical infrastructure is upgraded and up-to-code and it will enhance our protection and resiliency against storms.”

“With climate change driving increasingly frequent and intense storms towards Connecticut, it is more important than ever for our coastal communities to have the proper infrastructure to mitigate damage,” said Congressman Jim Himes. “This $2.73 million in federal funding will go directly to upgrading Stamford’s aging stormwater pump stations and the hurricane protection barrier so that the thousands of people who live along Stamford’s coastline can sleep peacefully knowing that when the next hurricane or tropical storm strikes, their city’s infrastructure is strong enough to protect their homes and businesses.”

 

Hurricane Barrier      Hurricane Barrier-2

 

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