The Maryland Board of Public Works approved funding of $65 million for improvements for projects to reduce stormwater pollution and flooding in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The goal is to help Maryland meet its Chesapeake Bay restoration goals.
“This public-private partnership for green streets and other clean water projects in Prince George’s County will help us to meet our Chesapeake Bay goals while reducing flooding and growing our economy,” said Maryland Environment Deputy Secretary Suzanne E. Dorsey in the board's news release.
The Urban Stormwater Retrofit Public-Private Partnership Phase 2 – Prince George’s County project was approved. The Maryland Board of Public Works is comprised of Governor Larry Hogan, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis and Comptroller Peter Franchot. Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford, who chaired the meeting.
The board added that a $65 million Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund loan to Prince George’s County will fund the second phase of a public-private partnership. The funding will help reduce stormwater runoff through multiple green infrastructure projects, which include: small rain gardens to large urban retrofit solutions involving suburban drain inlet modifications; pond retrofits; and County right-of-way Best Management Practices (BMPs) as well as green streets and high-flow media treatment options.
The project will "retrofit or install BMPs to store or treat stormwater runoff to reduce pollutant loads and mitigate flooding to improve water quality in local watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay. This project is consistent with Maryland’s climate change adaption and resiliency objectives through the reduction of runoff that is exacerbated by increased precipitation or flooding events," added the board.
The project aims to achieve compliance with the County’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Discharge Permit and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan, according to the board.
