The Town of Gorham received notification on Oct. 2, that its application for the State of Maine’s Community Action Grant, for funding of eligible projects in the State’s Climate Action Plan, was awarded in the amount of $50,000.

The project that the Town will undertake to address effects of climate change will be to upgrade stormwater infrastructure at the Municipal Center parking lot to improve water quality, maintain building and parking infrastructure to key town services, ensure continued stormwater runoff control during future flooding events, and provide educational opportunities. The project will install a FocalPoint system, which is a high performance modular biofiltration system that fits as a low-impact design standard best management practice. This method utilizes natural systems to remove pollutants and provide water quality control in an urban environment to minimize impact to development.

Not only will this project upgrade essential municipal infrastructure, but it will also showcase new stormwater treatment technology in a highly visible location. Raising awareness of the potential for improved stormwater treatment systems will aid in promoting additional retrofits in other locations in Gorham. This will also raise awareness of the draft Low Impact Development (LID) ordinance, planned for adoption in July 2024.

The Town’s application was made possible through the hard work and efforts of Town staff and support by the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG), who assisted the Town with information gathering and technical support for completing necessary steps to enroll in the State of Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership.