Nearly $32 Million (67%) comes from Federal Funds Congressman Mfume Helped Secure
BALTIMORE – Today, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) joined Congressman John Sarbanes (MD-03), Mayor Brandon M. Scott, County Executive John Olszewski and others to announce $47.7 million in funding to fortify the Middle Branch shoreline against climate change and mitigate destructive flooding. $31.9 million (67%) comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, which received $1 billion in funding following passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Congress last year — legislation Congressman Mfume helped champion.
This investment will fund Phase I of the Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative (MBRI) to mitigate substantial flooding that can cause lasting damage to public utilities, hospitals, and transportation infrastructure in the area.
“The Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative is yet another example of the work we are doing to protect the Chesapeake Bay and make our communities more resilient to the effects of climate change,” said Congressman Mfume. “I am particularly proud that the program from which this $32 million FEMA grant comes from recently received $1 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that President Biden signed into law last year. Democrats, including myself, worked very hard to make this critical infrastructure funding a reality and today we are seeing the results.”
Topline Highlights of the Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative (MBRI)
Currently, persistent flooding poses a risk to public utilities, hospitals, transportation infrastructure, and communities surrounding the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River.
Through a coordinated network of vegetated berms, living shorelines, restored wetlands/aquatic habitats, and public space enhancements, the MBRI will protect critical infrastructure elements.
Phase I of the MBRI focuses on increasing the resilience of the BGE Spring Gardens site (BGE) and MedStar Harbor Hospital site (MHH).
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