Published: June 02, 2009 10:57 pm      

Cardin: Americans entitled to clean water

Nearly $9 million in federal stimulus funds will pay for Allegany, Garrett projects

CUMBERLAND — Federal and state officials Tuesday announced nearly $9 million in federal stimulus funding for drinking water and water quality projects in Allegany and Garrett counties.

The funding is part of President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The goal of the grants, according to a news release from Sen. Benjamin Cardin’s office, is to create jobs, protect public health and improve the Chesapeake Bay.

A total of $119.2 million in grants and loans was announced. Another $2.4 million in stimulus funding covers administrative costs, a spokesman with the Maryland Department of the Environment said. A complete list of projects can be viewed online at www.times-news.com.

All of the grants were directed to local “shovel-ready” projects. More than $7.3 million went to projects in Allegany County. In Cumberland, $6 million was earmarked for the upgrade of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The city had applied for $10.2 million for the project plus another $13 million for nine water mains.

Another $1.3 million will be spent in LaVale on the Braddock Run interceptor rehabilitation project.

A water main transmission construction project in Mount Savage, which is the first step toward providing public water service to the old rail town, received $815,000 of what is ultimately a $6 million project. A second phase of a Mountain Lake Park water project in Garrett County received $733,000.

Cardin, along with Environmental Protection Agency officials and Shari T. Wilson, MDE secretary, made the announcement at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park in Prince George’s County.

“Americans have a right to clean water flowing through their streams, rivers and bays,” said Cardin, who serves as chairman of the Senate’s Environmental and Public Works Water and Wildlife Subcommittee. “And we all have a right to clean, healthy drinking water.”

Cardin said he will continue to work for the passage of the Water Infrastructure Financing Act, which would provide a “strong foundation for our nation’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.”

“Congress passed the recovery bill to help jump-start our economy in Maryland and across the country,” Cardin said in a news release. “The funds announced today will be critical in shoring up the needs of our aging water infrastructure system, creating jobs and investing in our future economic growth.”

Maryland jurisdictions submitted projects totaling $3.8 billion more than two months ago, leaving state officials to prioritize those projects.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.