Maryland Budget Fully Funds Bay Restoration and Land Conservation Programs
The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund will receive $51.3 million in Fiscal Year 2018, marking only the second time in state history that bay restoration efforts will be fully funded. Land conservation programs such as Program Open Space and additional support for the Natural Resources Police are also funded.
Supporting Restoration and Local Economies in your District
Since 2009, the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund has directed $348 million to local governments and nonprofit organizations for more than 2,000 nonpoint source pollution projects that mitigate and reduce harmful nutrient and sediment runoff from entering the Chesapeake Bay. Staff work with local partners on stormwater infrastructure improvements and employing the newest technologies to improve water quality.
The allocation of funds in Fiscal Year 2018 will build upon this legacy and ensure a safer, healthier Maryland for present and future generations. To discover the Trust Fund’s impact in your jurisdiction, please check out our new interactive dashboard.
Partnerships Prove to be Catalyst for Bay Restoration
The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund released its annual report, which details the program’s activities in the state, including the restoration of 653 acres of wetland, 207,900 linear feet of stream and 1,165 acres of streamside tree buffers. The Trust Fund, which is administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, invested in the removal of nearly 40 acres of impervious surface and the installation of 14,164 urban trees and 566 stormwater retrofits.
New Grant Helps Communities Adapt to Sea Level Rise
First of its Kind Program to Build Resiliency through Restoration
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that it has established a new grant program to help coastal communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change, including sea level rise and extreme weather. Gov. Hogan’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget includes $540,000 in Coastal Resiliency Program grant funding for the design of six demonstration shoreline improvement projects in five jurisdictions:
• Franklin Point Park, Anne Arundel County;
• Long View Community, Anne Arundel County;
• Hurst Creek, Dorchester County;
• Eagle Harbor, Prince George’s County;
• Deal Island, Somerset County; and
• Catherine’s Island, St. Mary’s County.
The six areas were selected due to on their unique geographic location, vulnerability and ability to go from design to implementation.