The Connecticut Port Authority has recommended bonding $10.3 million for local harbors and marinas through the Small Harbor Improvement Projects Program, more than double the amount given during the last round. Of the 17 proposals received before July 1, only one — a Guilford dredging project — was rejected. This year’s recommended $10.3 million exceeds previous rounds, which awarded $4 million in 2017, $3 million in 2021 and just over $5 million in 2023. The largest grant recommendation in the latest round was $3.5 million for a Norwalk project to renovate Veteran’s Memorial Park and Marina. If approved, it would be the biggest SHIPP grant since the program began. East Hartford’s $1.5 million request for Great River Park improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act was also among the top recommendations, along with Middletown’s nearly $1.5 million proposal to replace and relocate an aging harbor emergency response dock and a public recreation dock.
Port Authority Recommends $10.3M in Grants for Harbor Improvements