Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Nearly $20 Million in Direct Investments for Western Maryland in Senate-Passed FY24 Funding Package

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee, and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $19,607,279 in direct federal funding for local projects across Western Maryland within the six-bill package of fiscal year 2024 funding bills passed by the Senate Friday. These funds, included at the Senators’ request, support projects encompassing a wide array of local and regional priorities in Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington Counties, ranging from public safety to infrastructure improvements to community development. Overall, the Senators included over $160 million in federal dollars directly for Maryland within the legislation. President Biden signed the measure into law this weekend, averting a partial government shutdown.

A full list of the funds included by Senator Van Hollen in this fiscal year 2024 appropriations legislation is here. A full list of the funds included by Senator Cardin in the legislation is here.

“Delivering these direct investments to our communities is a key way we’re working to expand opportunity and shared prosperity across our state. These resources will help strengthen Western Maryland by supporting public safety, enhancing water quality, improving our transportation and water infrastructure, and so much more. We’re excited to see our local partners put these funds to work to benefit our communities,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“The bipartisan passage of these six spending bills provides continued investment in Maryland that will help fund locally driven priorities and opportunities throughout Western Maryland. This congressionally directed funding supports the completion of critical infrastructure, public safety, health care and other projects that strengthen Maryland’s communities and growing economy,” said Senator Cardin. “Team Maryland is united in our ongoing effort to respond directly to needs of Marylanders and is committed to bringing new federal resources to our state.”

The funding announced by the Senators includes:

• $6.9 million for infrastructure, including for various water infrastructure improvement projects in the region; rewatering of the C&O Canal; Garrett County utilities infrastructure equipment; reconfiguring West Patrick Street’s connection to the US-15 Interchange in Frederick; and road improvements on Woodside Avenue and North Carroll Streets in Thurmont
• $2.7 million for public safety, including to expand and renovate the Bloomington and Deep Creek fire stations; replace the Good Will Fire Company’s fire engine; and upgrade Washington County’s Public Safety Training Center
• $9.9 million for community development, historical, and cultural initiatives, including to restore the historic Accident Drane House in Garrett County; restore the first African American school in Allegany county to serve as a community center; build new youth centers and a business incubator in Frederick County; expand the town of Oakland’s community center; and create a community newsroom in Washington County
• $150,000 for health care to restore Allegany County’s Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services Building

INFRASTRUCTURE

Project Name: Brunswick Treatment Plant Upgrades
Applicant: City of Brunswick
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $2,000,000
Description: Funding will be used for improvements to both drinking water and waste water treatment plants to increase efficiencies and capacity. The project serves the City of Brunswick and additional residents of Frederick and Washington Counties, and will help protect the Potomac River.

Project Name: C&O Canal Rewatering
Applicant: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Project Location: Allegany County
Amount Awarded: $2,451,000
Description: Funding will be used to complete the design and begin construction of a project to add water to 1.2 miles of the historic Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal terminus at Cumberland. The project intends to transform underutilized riverfront into an area for public use and tourism.

Project Name: Garrett County Utilities Infrastructure Equipment
Applicant: Garrett County Board of Commissioners
Project Location: Garrett County
Amount Awarded: $525,000
Description: Funds will be used to purchase a hydro-excavator and associated equipment to allow Garrett County to perform public utility maintenance and repairs, install rural broadband, and respond to emergency situations more efficiently.

Project Name: Reconnecting West Patrick Planning Project
Applicant: City of Frederick
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $380,000
Description: Funds will be used to create preliminary plans for the reconfiguration of the West Patrick Street/US 15 Interchange, in order to improve equitable access to downtown for disadvantaged communities. The city aims to connect these communities so residents can safely access amenities and services.

Project Name: Village of Burkittsville for East Main Street Stormwater Management
Applicant: Village of Burkittsville
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $385,000
Description: Burkittsville has experienced repeated flooding, including two 100-year flood events that eroded Main Street and damaged residences. Funds will be used for engineering design work to address drainage and stormwater issues on East Main Street.

Project Name: Washington County for SCADA Upgrade
Applicant: Washington County
Project Location: Washington County
Amount Awarded: $200,000
Description: Washington County's SCADA system, a control/alarm system for monitoring its water and wastewater pump station, has not worked properly since a November 2022 cyber breach. Funds will replace the SCADA system at more than 50 pump stations.

Project Name: Woodside Avenue/North Carroll Street Improvements
Applicant: Town of Thurmont
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Description: Woodside Avenue and North Carroll Street are a continuous thoroughfare in Thurmont, serving hundreds of residents and industrial businesses. Funds will be used to repair failing roadway sections, replace and install curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, and improve stormwater management to prevent flooding.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Project Name: Bloomington Fire Company Building Expansion
Applicant: Bloomington Fire Company
Project Location: Garrett County
Amount Awarded: $150,000
Description: Funds will expand the fire station with extra space to store trucks and service equipment and expand and move lockers in order to serve the Bloomington community and surrounding areas more efficiently. The new structure will also offer a shelter for the community in the event of natural disaster.

Project Name: Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Company Capital Improvement Project
Applicant: Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Company Inc.
Project Location: Garrett County
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Description: Funds will be used to complete renovations to the fire station's expansion, finishing the second floor spaces that provide rest and recovery areas for career and volunteer firefighters. The facility can also be used as a community assistance center during natural disasters.

Project Name: Engine-Tanker Replacement
Applicant: Good Will Volunteer Fire Company #1, Inc.
Project Location: Allegany County
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Description: Funds will replace the current fire tanker, which is over 30 years old, lacking a number of standard safety features, and in need of costly repairs. The new tanker will have increased capacity and improve response time to fires.

Project Name: Public Safety Training Center
Applicant: Washington County Division of Emergency Services
Project Location: Washington County
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Description: Funds will be used to upgrade the center, which trains and certifies firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and law enforcement officers for employment within public safety agencies across Maryland. The site also houses the county's emergency operations center.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HISTORICAL, AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES

Project Name: Accident Drane House Restoration, Inc. for a Restoration Project
Applicant: Accident Drane House Association, Inc.
Project Location: Garrett County
Amount Awarded: $250,000
Description: The Drane House is the oldest existing residential structure in Garrett County, Maryland. This project will repair, restore, and furnish this 224-year-old historic structure as closely as possible to its original condition, providing a site for education and tourism.

Project Name: Carver Center Renovation Project
Applicant: Cumberland Economic Development Corporation
Project Location: Allegany County
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Description: Funds will restore the first African American school in the county as the Carver Community Center, housing community services like afterschool and workforce development programs. The project will also display historic artifacts commemorating the school and African American history in the region.

Project Name: Downtown Frederick Youth Center
Applicant: The Ausherman Family Foundation
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $4,616,279
Description: Funds will be used to construct a youth center in downtown Frederick providing a safe place for young people ages 14-24 and their families to obtain support services and educational programming.

Project Name: FITCI Manufacturing and Commercialization Center
Applicant: Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc.
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Description: FITCI is a business incubator that serves startup and small businesses who face challenges when commercializing and manufacturing their products. Funds will renovate FITCI's building into a manufacturing and commercializing space for entrepreneurs.

Project Name: I Believe in Me Land Purchase
Applicant: I Believe in Me Inc.
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $1,250,000
Description: Funds will be used to purchase land for the Hope Center to house I Believe in Me's mentoring program, which currently serves students with afterschool tutoring and goal-setting and self-esteem building activities. The new center will expand services to include summer and weekend programs.

Project Name: New John R. Webb VFW Post 3285 Building
Applicant: John R. Webb VFW 3285
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
Description: Fund will be used to construct a new building for the VFW to continue to operate, help veterans in Frederick County, and provide community space and services.

Project Name: Oakland Community Center Expansion
Applicant: Mayor and Town Council of Oakland
Project Location: Garrett County
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Description: The Oakland Community Center is in high demand as a public space for community meetings and events. Funds will expand the size of the center and enhance its amenities with full-sized basketball courts, new restrooms, and a small concession area to better serve residents.

Project Name: Speak Up Community Newsroom and Neighborhood Meeting Center
Applicant: Brothers United Who Dare To Care, Incorporated
Project Location: Washington County
Amount Awarded: $750,000
Description: Funds will be used to purchase and renovate a vacant property to house the Hagerstown Youth News Corps internship program to train young people in media skills and the Neighborhood Youth Club mentorship program to provide activities, outings, and events for students on Saturdays.

HEALTH CARE

Project Name: Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services Building Restoration
Applicant: Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services
Project Location: Allegany County
Amount Awarded: $150,000
Description: Tri-Towns EMS serves over 100 square miles in Allegany and Garrett Counties in a building that is open to the public, including for walk-in care. Funds will upgrade the building to repair some damaged areas, operate more efficiently, and provide a safe space for walk-in patients.

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