Cardin, Van Hollen: Over $30M in direct investments for Eastern Shore

Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) have announced $32,537,200 in direct federal funding for local projects across the Eastern Shore 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 for Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties, ranging from public safety to infrastructure improvements to community development.

“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 the Eastern Shore by supporting public safety, enhancing water quality, improving our transportation and water infrastructure, and so much more,” said Cardin.

Some of the projects:

Project Name: Claiborne Harbor Maintenance Dredging
Applicant: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Project Location: Talbot County
Amount Awarded: $8,000
Project Description: Claiborne Harbor is a federally-authorized channel that has not received maintenance dredging for more than two decades. Funding will support maintenance dredging to ensure continued safe use of the channel by the community.

Project Name: Slaughter Creek Maintenance Dredging
Applicant: Dorchester County
Project Location: Dorchester County
Amount Awarded: $250,000
Description: This channel has not been dredged since 1987 and is highly restricted due to shoaling, impacting waterway access. Funding for engineering and design was provided with resources under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This funding will continue to move the project forward towards dredging.

Project Name: Upper Thorofare/Deal Island Maintenance Dredging
Applicant: Somerset County
Project Location: Somerset County
Amount Awarded: $14,000
Description: Funding will be used ensure continued access to channels surrounding the harbors and communities of Deal Island, Wenona and Rumbley. These facilities are home ports of many historic Skipjacks, commercial Watermen, and recreational boaters.

Project Name: Wicomico River Maintenance Dredging
Applicant: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Project Location: Wicomico County
Amount Awarded: $4,725,000
Description: Funding will be used to dredge the Wicomico River from the Chesapeake Bay to Salisbury to ensure that it remains passable by barges. The Port of Salisbury has the second highest commercial volume of Maryland ports and continued dredging of the Wicomico is critical to its success, etc.