WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Ben Cardin, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, (both D-Md.) recently announced the inclusion of $13.4 million in key Senate Committee legislation providing direct federal funding for community-led projects in Maryland.

These community projects, funded at the Senators’ request, support improving water infrastructure for Marylanders, preserving local historic sites, driving economic development and more. They were included within the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies’ proposed funding legislation for fiscal year 2024.

This subcommittee legislation was released as part of the annual Congressional Appropriations process and passed on a bipartisan basis by the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill will proceed to consideration before the full Senate – funding is not finalized until the Appropriations bills are passed by the Senate, reconciled with the House of Representatives, and signed by the President.

“In Congress, one of our top priorities is securing federal investments to support our communities. That’s why working together with Team Maryland we fought for these funds – which will invest in everything from improving our water infrastructure and Marylanders’ access to clean water to the preservation of important historic sites in our state. This federal funding makes a real impact across Maryland, and we’re committed to getting these investments over the finish line,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“Updating our water infrastructure and preserving our history is crucial to ensure our communities have access to clean, safe water and public spaces. These projects provide the essential tools they need to manage their resources into the future,” said Sen. Cardin. “Team Maryland continues to collaborate in an unprecedented way to deliver federal resources that directly support local needs and priorities.”

The senators secured funding for the following projects in the Senate Appropriations FY2024 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies funding legislation.

Among the projects were three on the Eastern Shore:

Project Name: City of Crisfield for Main Street Revitalization and Resiliency Business Incubator

Applicant: City of Crisfield

Project Location: Somerset County

Amount Included: $500,000

Description: Funds will help revitalize a city-owned building on Main Street that was built in 1928 and has been vacant for over a decade. The rehabilitation of the building will serve as an anchor to redevelop and drive economic activity to the rest of Main Street, where there are over two dozen vacant storefronts.

Project Name: Town of Hurlock for New Well Construction

Applicant: Town of Hurlock

Project Location: Dorchester County

Amount Included: $405,000

Description: Funds will be used to add a third water well in the Town of Hurlock to ensure adequate drinking water supply for the town's needs.

Project Name: Worcester County for Riddle Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant Bypass Force Main Interconnect

Applicant: Worcester County

Project Location: Worcester County

Amount Included: $1,090,000

Description: Funding will be used to install a new force main interconnect at the Riddle Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant that will connect to the Ocean Pines sewer service area and provide a back-up system in the case of routine maintenance or major repairs.

Additional highlights from the FY24 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies funding bill include:

Chesapeake Bay: The bill supports the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay, providing $93 million for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program, $8.5 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Chesapeake WILD Program and $3.327 million for the National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways Network – all of which are above fiscal year 2023 funding levels. The lawmakers also secured report language requesting a briefing from the Environmental Protection Agency on the states’ progress on the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load to date, and projections for 2025.

Department of the Interior: The bill provides $15.639 billion in total for the Department of the Interior. This includes $1.499 billion for the Bureau of Land Management, $1.804 billion for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and $3.457 billion for the National Park Service to protect and manage our federal lands and national parks, conserve and protect wildlife, and more. 

Environmental Protection Agency: The bill protects essential funding for EPA’s critical responsibilities protecting our environment and people’s health. It provides $4 million above fiscal year 2023 for EPA’s clean air and climate programs to tackle climate change and ensure families in every part of the country have clean air and water.

Land and Water Conservation Fund: The bill allocates $900 million for federal land acquisition and financial assistance to states provided through the LWCF under the Great American Outdoors Act.

National Parks and Public Lands Restoration Fund: The bill allocates $1.9 billion for deferred maintenance projects for the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Forest Service as part of a five-year deferred maintenance initiative under the Great American Outdoors Act.

Cultural Programs: The bill protects essential funding for key cultural institutions and programming. It provides $207 million each for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities and $1.095 billion for the Smithsonian Institution, which includes an additional $2 million each to continue the planning and development of the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.