WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch spoke today in Bridgeport’s Seaside Park to announce a $10 million federal grant for Bridgeport coastal resiliency projects following Superstorm Sandy. The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Program to help plan and develop disaster mitigation projects in the Black Rock, Marina Village, and Sea Side Village communities.

“We have worked long and hard to recover from Superstorm Sandy and rebuild our homes, our businesses, and our towns. As we continue on this path, it is critical that we also work to better protect our vulnerable coastal neighborhoods from future storms and devastation,” Congressman Himes said. “I join in thanking HUD, my colleagues, and the City of Bridgeport for their hard work in securing this much-needed funding, and I look forward to helping implement these innovative resiliency proposals that will strengthen our communities and protect our citizens.”

“This project reflects an understanding that either we invest today in mitigation and resiliency measures, or we pay tomorrow when the next natural disaster hits. This project will help prevent the huge personal loss and economic hardship I saw firsthand in the aftermath of Sandy in the Black Rock, Marina Village and Sea Side Village neighborhoods-- damage that will return with increasing frequency and severity if action is not taken. As extreme weather like Sandy becomes the new normal, I applaud HUD and the City of Bridgeport for this important and substantial investment in planning for long term, vital storm mitigation measures,” Senator Blumenthal said.

“Recovering from Superstorm Sandy has not been easy, but this grant will go a long way to help Bridgeport residents, small businesses, and schools rebuild and recover. I'm glad Bridgeport secured this money and I'll continue to advocate for more federal funding so our local communities can be better prepared for the next natural disaster,” Senator Murphy said.

“This is great news for our city,” said Mayor Finch. “We put forth a vision to make Bridgeport a city where in order to mitigate climate change, we’re creating green jobs while investing in the future to make our city a more resilient place for our kids and grandkids to live, work, and raise a family. These much needed funds will help us to continue doing just that. I want to thank Congressman Himes, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, President Obama, Shaun Donovan and others at HUD for their confidence in the Park City.”