Breaking News: Comprehensive Flood Management Grant Program Passes
On this final day of the session - called Sine Die - I am thrilled to announce that Comprehensive Flood Management Grant Program – Awards for Flood Damage and Mandatory Funding (HB428/SB269) has passed!
What does this mean for Howard County?
HB428/SB269 places a minimum of $8 million from the state in the Flood Mitigation Grant fund between fiscal years 2021 – 2023. In addition, $3.4 million has been awarded to Ellicott City in the FY 2020 state capital budget making it available July 2019 to help fund Howard County’s flood mitigation projects in Ellicott City.
Working as a team, Senator Katie Hester and I were able to secure access to significant funding to protect historic Ellicott City from future flooding. We knew the state government could do more to help Ellicott City and we are grateful to our legislative cosponsors across the state who agreed. A special thanks to our district mates Delegates Warren Miller and Trent Kittleman for giving the bill bipartisan support by cosponsoring it in the House, as well as County Executive Calvin Ball and County Councilmember Liz Walsh for their trips to Annapolis and their riveting testimony in support of this bill.
This bill was a priority because of the Honorable Speaker Michael Busch and we are so grateful to him for supporting it from the beginning and ensuring its passage. As we mourn the enormous loss of Speaker Busch, we know his legacy will live on through the causes he championed and his tenacious efforts to help all Marylanders.
I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the county and across the state on behalf of all residents of Howard County.
