ANNAPOLIS (May 27, 2008) — Governor Martin O’Malley and the Maryland General Assembly recently approved more than $20 million in state Waterway Improvement Funds for 130 projects in 21 counties and Baltimore City to improve public waterway access and support safe boating and commercial navigation in Maryland’s waterways.
Projects approved in the 2009 budget include: dredging channels to enable safe boat navigation; creating new and maintaining existing public boating facilities; acquiring fire, rescue and patrol boats; and installing marine sewage pump-out stations to improve water quality.
Since 1966, the Waterway Improvement Fund has provided more than 4,100 grants totaling $260 million for the creation and improvement of nearly 300 public boating access sites, more than 190 navigation projects, and to support hundreds of other boating related projects and activities throughout Maryland. Maryland boaters contribute to the Waterway Improvement Fund through a 5 percent vessel excise tax.
State-funded projects in southern Maryland for the upcoming fiscal year include:
Calvert County received $100,000 to dredge transient boating slips at the North Beach town pier.
Five projects in Charles County received $748,000, including:
-- $99,000 to construct additional parking space for boaters at Slavins Landing in Mattingly Park in Indian Head.
-- $150,000 to dredge a navigation channel to improve access to the public boat ramp in Nanjemoy Creek.
-- $350,000 for parking, boat storage and access to the Sweden Point Marina in Smallwood State Park.
-- $50,000 to replace the fire and rescue boat for 10th District Volunteer Fire Department in Marbury.
-- $99,000 to construct a public boat ramp, pier, access road and gravel parking lot at Wilson Farm along Mallows Bay.
Five projects in St. Mary’s County received $823,720, including:
-- $4,500 for a new fire and rescue boat and other safety equipment for the Golden Beach Fire Station in Mechanicsville.
-- $80,000 to design a replacement pier, floating docks, mooring piles, and boat ramp at the Piney Point Natural Resources Police facility.
-- $440,220 to repair of the timber jetties and maintenance dredging in Kingston Creek.
-- $200,000 to construct piers, tie-ups and boat slips at the Leonardtown Wharf.
-- $99,000 to maintain and improve public boating facilities throughout St. Mary’s County.