Ruppersberger Announces $56.3 Million for Maryland to Protect the Environment and Keep Commerce Moving

(Washington, D.C.) - Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) is pleased to announce today $56.3 million in federal funding for Maryland to protect the environment and keep commerce moving.  The Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act passed the House today by a vote of 308-114 and included money for the following projects:   

$2 Million for Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration 
• The federal funding will help replenish the Chesapeake Bay oyster population, a vital element in restoring the overall health of the Bay. Activities include construction of oyster bars and reefs, rehabilitation of existing habitats and construction of oyster hatcheries.

$8.2 Million for Poplar Island
• The federal funding will help relocate dredged material for the restoration of Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay.  The project creates a wildlife refuge for ospreys, egrets, terns, herons, eagles, terrapins and other wildlife.  Poplar Island is a national model for habitat restoration and using dredged material in an environmentally beneficial way.
 
$314,000 for Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Restoration
• The federal funding will help with the pre-construction engineering and design of the James and Barren Island Restoration Project, including more than 2,000 acres of wetlands, surrounding habitats and shoreline using dredged material. 

$26.9 Million for the Intracoastal Waterway from the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay
• The federal funding will help the routine maintenance and dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal to support the Port of Baltimore. The C&D Canal is an important northern passage from the Chesapeake Bay to the Atlantic Ocean via the Delaware River.

$17.5 Million to Dredge the Baltimore Harbor and Channels
• The federal funding will support the annual maintenance dredging of the Baltimore Harbor and surrounding channels to keep the Port of Baltimore competitive in the global marketplace.

The Senate must pass and the President must sign the Energy and Water Appropriations Act before it becomes law.    
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