Van Hollen, Cardin Announce Over $23 Million in Direct Investments for Anne Arundel County and Southern 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 $23,027,031 in direct federal funding for local projects across Anne Arundel County and Southern Maryland in the six-bill package of fiscal year 2024 funding bills passed by the Senate late last week. These funds, included at the Senators’ request, support projects encompassing a wide array of local and regional priorities, 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 last 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 Anne Arundel County and Southern 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 Anne Arundel County and Southern Maryland. This congressionally directed funding supports the completion of critical infrastructure, public safety 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 back to the state.”

The funding announced by the Senators includes:

• $10.3 million for infrastructure, including to expand high-capacity transit service, improve capacity at the Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Facility, replace lead pipes and constructing new parks at the Annapolis City Dock and Capital City Gateway Park.

• $5.2 million for the environment, including demolishing the old Crownsville Hospital site for a public park and revitalizing the Glen Burnie Town Center Plaza.
• $3.3 million for public safety, including to support a regional real-time crime center hub, expand youth intervention programs, and research to identify threats from home-made explosives.
• $4.2 million for community development, including expanding a food panty and workforce training in Calvert County, and upgrading a homeless shelter and related services in Charles County.   

INFRASTRUCTURE

Project Name: Southern Maryland Rapid Transit (SMRT)
Applicant: Charles County Government
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Awarded: $5,000,000
Description: Funds will support a high-capacity transit service to alleviate one of the most congested commutes in the country, ignite job growth in target development areas in Southern Maryland, and reduce emissions.

Project Name: Transit Operations Facility
Applicant: Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Description: Funds will support acquisition, design, and construction of a Transit Operations Facility to securely house the county's transit fleet and provide space for operations and maintenance staff, so the transit system operates more efficiently.

Project Name: Lower Mattawoman Interceptor
Applicant: Charles County
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Awarded: $400,000
Description: Funding will be used to support engineering costs for a project to repair defects in the Lower Mattawoman Interceptor. The project would improve capacity at the Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Facility and protect the stream valley of the Mattawoman Creek.

Project Name: Charles County for Bryans Road Interceptor Phase II Project (Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Facility Sewer Rehabilitation)
Applicant: Charles County
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Awarded: $450,000
Description: Funding will be used to support engineering costs for a project to reduce sanitary sewer overflows and contamination related to the Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Facility. This project would improve capacity at the facility and protect water quality in the Potomac River and Bryans Road area.

Project Name: Anne Arundel County for Lead Service Line Replacement
Applicant: Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $959,752
Description: The county has 78,000 lead and copper water service lines. While there is ongoing monitoring of the water and no known risk of lead exposure, it is necessary to replace the lines to comply with safety regulations. Funds will support the identification and replacement of service lines.

Project Name: Charles County for Hughesville Collection Sewer System Project
Applicant: Charles County
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Awarded: $600,000
Description: Funding will support the design and construction of a centralized sewer collection system for the Hughesville Village center, including approximately 25,000 linear feet of gravity sewer lines, approximately 3 new sewage pumping stations, and all associated infrastructure.

Project Name: Annapolis City Dock Revitalization - Waterfront Park
Applicant: City of Annapolis
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $850,000
Description: Funds will be used to construct a public park at City Dock as part of the Gateway to the Chesapeake Initiative. The new park will include direct access to the water, a pedestrian pathway, legacy markers and monuments, and space for public events, supporting tourism and economic development.

Project Name: Capital City Gateway Park
Applicant: City of Annapolis
Project Location:  Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $850,000
Description:  This project would fund the design and construction of a new park in Annapolis, Capital City Gateway Park, at a prominent but underutilized site along the Rowe Boulevard gateway to the City’s downtown, Historic District, and State Capitol campus.

Project Name: MD 214 Construction
Applicant: Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Description: Funds will be used for design, right-of-way, and improvement along MD 214 from MD 468 to east of Loch Haven Road, including bicycle infrastructure, shared use path, increased vehicular capacity, and intersection improvements to reduce traffic at Loch Haven Road.

Project Name: Popes Creek Waterfront Phase II
Applicant: Charles County Government
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Awarded: $200,000
Description: Funds will support the Popes Creek Waterfront and Rail Trail, an accessible water access point with a boardwalk and pier that connects to a trail through an abandoned rail corridor. This will be the county's first project to provide direct water access for recreation and fishing to all residents.

ENVIRONMENT

Project Name: Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park Trails and Open Space
Applicant: Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $4,116,279
Description: Funds will be used to demolish dilapidated structures at the old Crownsville Hospital site to prepare for a public park. Funds will also develop a trail system through the Chesapeake Heritage Area to provide greater access to historical points in the county and outdoor recreation for residents.

Project Name: Glen Burnie Town Center Plaza Revitalization
Applicant: Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $1,050,000
Description: Funds will support design and construction to revitalize the Glen Burnie Town Center plaza, incorporating trees and planting for stormwater management and installing safety improvements for pedestrians. The new space will draw visitors to nearby businesses and public events.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Project Name: Real-Time Crime Center
Applicant: Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $963,000
Description: Funds will support a Real Time Crime Center hub to provide 24-hour information to officers responding to incidents, centralize data analysis, and better coordinate efforts to combat gun and violent crime and improve public safety for residents.

Project Name: Changing the Trajectory of Delinquency and Violence
Applicant: Kennedy Krieger Institute
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $963,000
Description: Funds will be used for early intervention to prevent juvenile crime and violence by working with military families around Fort Meade and local law enforcement to identify early warning signs and risk factors and provide behavioral supports and services within the community.

Project Name: Protecting the Nation Home Made Explosive (HME) Detection and Prevention
Applicant: United States Bomb Technician Association (USBTA)
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Awarded: $963,000
Description: Funds will support research to identify threats from chemicals used to make Home Made Explosives, understand how these makeshift bombs work, and train professionals and first responders to detect and mitigate hazards and protect the public.

Project Name: Reentry Services in Anne Arundel County
Applicant: Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $450,000
Description: Funds will support comprehensive re-entry coordination and post-release case management services for individuals released from the Ordnance Road Detention Facility as part of the County's strategy to help returning citizens find stable employment to reduce re-arrests and recidivism.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Project Name: Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County - South County/Lothian Club
Applicant: Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Awarded: $850,000
Description: Funds will be used to build a new club house in Lothian to expand the Boys and Girls Club mentoring and afterschool services to the southern area of Anne Arundel County.

Project Name: Reach Back and Lift 1
Applicant: The Connect - Lexington Park
Project Location: St. Mary's County
Amount Requested: $500,000
Description: Funds will be used to purchase and renovate a former car dealership into a community center that includes an entrepreneur hub, retail boot camp program, community engagement initiatives, and violence prevention programs, supporting local economic development.

Project Name: End Hunger Warehouse Completion
Applicant: End Hunger in Calvert County
Project Location: Calvert County
Amount Awarded: $500,000
Description: End Hunger's new warehouse will include a food pantry, culinary workforce development program, and a collaboration space for nonprofits serving the community. Funds will support completion of the workforce training and nonprofit spaces.

Project Name: Farming 4 Hunger Crime Prevention and Re-Entry Program Expansion
Applicant: Farming 4 Hunger, Inc.
Project Location: Calvert County
Amount Awarded: $600,000
Description: Funds will be used to expand the program, which trains returning citizens on machinery, carpentry, truck driving, and other skills to support successful reentry. Funds will also support operations of the farm, where program participants grow fresh food to combat hunger and learn agricultural skills.

Project Name: LifeStyles Homeless Shelter/Center Improvement Project
Applicant: LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc.
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Awarded: $912,000
Description: Funds will upgrade infrastructure at LifeStyles Homeless Shelter/Center to enhance its shelter, job placement, and other supportive services to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. Upgrades include increased security and storage of bulk food and supply purchases.

Project Name: YMCA Great Mills
Applicant: Commissioners of St. Mary’s County
Project Location: St. Mary's County
Amount Awarded: $850,000
Description: Funds will support construction of a multi-use YMCA recreation center in Lexington Park to provide affordable recreation opportunities to residents. The facility may include a gymnasium, exercise studios, Wi-Fi, basketball courts, multi-purpose rooms, catering kitchen, and office spaces.

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