ADAMS -- Three North Berkshire communities will receive a total of $932,010 from a federal agency to help repair damage along rivers and streams caused by Tropical Storm Irene in August.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service announced Thursday that Adams, Williamstown and North Adams are among the 14 communities in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties to receive federal funding for projects involving the stabilization of river and stream banks, and the repairing of roads.
"Town officials requested the federal assistance, citing concern that erosion caused by flooding is threatening public safety and nearby homes and business, and has caused road closures," a news release from the federal agency stated.
Adams will receive the bulk of the $971,985 allocated to five communities in Berkshire County for about $1.3 million in projects. The NRCS plans to give Adams $745,785 toward three projects estimated to cost a total of $994,380, according to the news release.
Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said Thursday one of the projects involves cleaning the stormwater drainage way in the Pine and Columbia streets neighborhood out to Lime Street, and the two other projects involve repairing a slope that washed away on East Road by the Susan B. Anthony house.
Of the multiple repair projects Adams has contended with since Tropical Storm Irene, the town has been very
"It will save the town of Adams a tremendous amount of money," he said.
The Hoosac Water Quality District, which is headquartered in Williamstown, will receive $183,750 for an estimated $245,000 project to repair sections of riverbank along the Hoosic River where a main sewage line was exposed during the storm.
Chief Operator Bradley O. Furlon said the project was one of the first funded by NRCS following Tropical Storm Irene, and it was completed on Oct. 28 with construction costs totaling $214,250.
With the NRCS covering only 75 percent of the project's construction costs, the remaining 25 percent will come out of the district's emergency maintenance and repair fund, he said.
North Adams will receive $2,475 from the NRCS toward a $3,300 project. Details on what work this money will go toward were unavailable as of press time.
According to the news release, the NRCS has approved about $2.8 million in funds for projects in the Western Massachusetts counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire for 35 projects.
To reach Meghan Foley,
email mfoley@thetranscript.com.
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