March 12th, 2022 by WCBC Radio
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced that nearly $9 million in direct federal funding for local projects across the Western Maryland region was included within the fiscal year 2022 omnibus funding legislation, which the Senators voted to pass Thursday evening. The projects encompass a wide array of local and regional priorities, ranging from infrastructure improvements to economic development. Overall, the Senators secured over $104 million in federal dollars directly for Maryland in the omnibus. The bill now goes to President Biden to be signed into law.
“Bringing direct federal investments to our communities helps spur opportunity, create jobs, and grow our economy. Working together with local leaders across Western Maryland, we have identified these projects that will strengthen our communities by driving job growth, improving public safety, modernizing our infrastructure, and strengthening our outdoor economy,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee. “We look forward to getting these funds across the finish line and delivering these investments to Western Maryland.”
“We have worked with local officials and organizations across Western Maryland to identify the projects that could benefit from a strong federal partner. Congressionally Directed Spending is one of the best tools to maximize how we use taxpayer dollars in the places it can make a real difference for Maryland and the region,” said Senator Cardin.
Funding secured by the Senators includes:
· Nearly $7 million for infrastructure & economic development projects, including for the Maryland Tech Council’s support of Maryland’s Technology and Life Sciences Small Businesses, Frederick East Street Rails with Trails: Liberty Road Bridge Crossing, Garrett Trails’ Meadow Mountain Trail, the replacement of Boonsboro’s Drinking Water Reservoir, Point of Rocks Significant/High Hazard Dam Decommissioning and Stream Restoration, C&O Canal rewatering, and Gorman, MD waterline rehabilitation
· Over $1 million to support community development, historical, & cultural initiatives, including the purchase of 44 acres to expand the C&O Canal National Historical Park, and the purchase of 17 acres to expand Monocacy National Battlefield
· $125,000 for public safety through Frederick Police Department’s Mobile Crisis Team
· $850,000 for mental health resources through funding for the Frederick County’s Crisis Stabilization Center
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Project Name: Supporting Growth of Maryland’s Technology and Life Sciences Businesses
Project location: Frederick, MD (Statewide)
Applicant: Maryland Tech Council
Amount received: $2,450,000
Description: These funds will be used to support, promote, and educate small Maryland technology and life sciences companies as they expand to attract international investment and strategic partnerships and grow their business in Maryland.
Project Name: Frederick East Street Rails with Trails: Liberty Road Bridge Crossing
Project location: Frederick, MD
Applicant: City of Frederick
Amount received: $535,000
Description: Funds will be used for the final design and construction of a bridge to carry the East Street shared-use pathway over Liberty Road/MD 26. The East Street Trails with Trails Shared-Use Pathway will provide access from the East Street MARC station to Mill Island, enhancing transit options in East Frederick.
Project Name: Garrett Trails
Project location: Garrett County, MD
Applicant: Garrett County
Amount received: $975,000
Description: Funds will be used to help complete the Meadow Mountain Trail, which is the portion of the Eastern Continental Divide Loop plan that runs from Deep Creek State Park to Grantsville. The project will provide safe paths through public land and increase tourism to Garrett County.
Project Name: Boonsboro Drinking Water Reservoir Replacement
Project location: Boonsboro, MD
Applicant: Town of Boonsboro, MD
Amount received: $1,000,000
Description: Funds will be used to support the replacement of a 1.3 million gallon Drinking Water Reservoir that was built in 1954 and currently leaks approximately 15,000-25,000 gallons a day. If the sidewalls and levees of the existing reservoir were to fail, it would lead to catastrophic flooding and disruption in water service.
Project Name: Point of Rocks Significant/High Hazard Dam Decommissioning and Stream Restoration
Project location: Frederick County, MD
Applicant: Frederick County
Amount received: $908,000
Description: Funds will be used to safely remove an existing hazardous dam and provide storm water management onsite. The dam was deemed a risk by the Maryland Department of the Environment because, should it fail and create a flood wave, it would result in loss of life immediately downstream and damage to MD Route 28 and a MARC Train Station parking lot.
Project Name: C&O Canal Rewatering Project
Project location: Cumberland, Maryland
Applicant: Army Corps of Engineers
Amount received: $390,000
Description: The funding will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete its environmental review process for the reconstruction and re-watering of 1.2 miles of the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal terminus in Cumberland.
Project Name: Gorman, MD Waterline Rehabilitation Project
Project location: Gorman, Maryland
Applicant: The Board of Garrett County Commissioners
Amount received: $704,000
Description: Fund will allow for the replacement of an aging ductile iron water main line with new, corrosion-resistant PVC material in Gorman, where the water system was installed in the 1970s and is deteriorating at an alarming rate. This system serves approximately 147 low-to-moderate income households.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HISTORICAL, AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES
Project Name: C&O Canal National Historical Park
Project location: Hagerstown, MD
Applicant: National Park Service
Amount received: $125,000
Description: Funds will be used to purchase of 44 acres to expand the C&O Canal National Historical Park. This is currently an unfunded priority for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Project Name: Monocacy National Battlefield
Project location: Frederick County, MD
Applicant: National Park Service
Amount received: $900,000
Description: Funds will be used to purchase 17 acres to expand the Monocacy National Battlefield site. This is currently an unfunded priority for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Project Name: Frederick Police Mobile Crisis Team Support
Project location: Frederick, MD
Applicant: City of Frederick
Amount received: $125,000
Description: Funds will be used to implement a Mobile Crisis Team, in coordination with community partners and mental health professionals, to respond to individuals in crisis and ensure that they receive follow-up assistance. Integration of mental health services in emergency response is a key part of Senator Van Hollen's Community Based Response Act.
HEALTH
Project Name: Frederick County Crisis Stabilization Center
Project location: Frederick County, MD
Applicant: Frederick County
Amount received: $850,000
Description: Funds will be used to support the Frederick County Crisis Stabilization Center (CSC), which will be a 24/7 program to divert people who are in crisis and/or under the influence of a substance away from emergency departments and provide stronger links to community-based behavioral health care for individuals who have not been reached by the behavioral health system.
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