ANNAPOLIS —The Maryland Coastal Program’s Coastal Community Initiative announced today that eight communities are recommended to receive federal funding totaling more than $460,000 to address local growth issues that impact the coastal environment. Jurisdictions recommended for funding include the City of Annapolis, Baltimore City, City of Bowie, Cecil County, Calvert County, Caroline County, Queen Anne’s County and the Town of Queenstown.
"Many communities are facing development pressures, while looking to maintain their coastal and rural characteristics,” said Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. “This initiative is a chance for local communities to partner with my administration in incorporating natural resource issues such as coastal hazards and public access, into local planning and permitting activities.”
Within the Maryland Coastal Program, the Coastal Community Initiative was developed for the State to partner with local governments to plan for growth and economic development while taking into account the natural, coastal, and socio-cultural characteristics of an area. Projects chosen for funding include a range of local planning activities such as local watershed plan development, long range planning efforts, green infrastructure planning, green design planning for an urban revitalization project, and enhanced forest protection.
A technical review of the proposals was conducted by the Interagency Review Group consisting of personnel from the Maryland Departments of Natural Resources, Planning, Environment and Agriculture, as well as the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the University of Maryland and the National Park Service. Technical assistance will be provided to the grantees by the Interagency Review Group in the form of planning assistance, data sharing, mapping and analysis.
In early 2006, five coastal communities received funding totaling $271,252.