Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $1.5 Million in FEMA Funding to the City of Frederick for Flood Prevention

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced that the City of Frederick will receive over $1.5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to strengthen the city’s flood prevention infrastructure.

The funding will go towards repairs to Stormwater Pump Station #3, a critical part of Frederick’s storm water management system that diverts water from densely populated areas to a man-made retention lake. The repairs will include the construction of a new building over the existing station to house the motors, electrical gear, controls, and existing generator.

A cost-benefit analysis revealed that the failure of the Pump Station #3 threatens nearly $2.2 million in property damage, and 13 properties with a value of $8.7 million.

“Strengthening Frederick’s storm water management system will help protect residents’ homes and local businesses from flooding. These funds will ensure Frederick can complete this much-needed update – while creating good local jobs in the process,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations and Environment and Public Works Committees. “We will keep fighting for funds to help modernize our infrastructure and protect Maryland communities and businesses.”

“Recurrent flooding is hurting local Frederick businesses, homes and residents. This new round of federal funding will support the critical repairs to stormwater systems to help mitigate flooding and reduce the risk of damage to the town and residents,” said Senator Cardin. “As the threat of climate change continues to worsen the frequency and impact of flooding, strengthening our resilience to these events is essential to safeguarding residents and our communities. Team Maryland will continue to promote investing in water infrastructure upgrades to prevent future damage and keep Marylanders safe across the state.”

“Over the past two years, I’ve heard from city residents and elected officials that Frederick’s flood prevention infrastructure is in desperate need of repair, putting homes, businesses, and lives at risk,” said Rep. Trone. “This much-needed funding is a huge victory and will help us build a safer Frederick.”

“Thank you to FEMA and MEMA for their partnership and collaboration to protect the life, health, and safety of the Frederick community,” said Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor. “As climate change intensifies the weather events we experience, improvements to our stormwater management system are critical to mitigate storm impacts in the future. The efforts funded by this grant aid our response and help to ensure the quality of life remains high in Frederick.”

FEMA is an agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that works to prevent, mitigate, and respond to natural disasters, man-made disasters, and terrorist incidents.