On November 15. 2023, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) announced $2,505,500 for critical infrastructure improvements to the City of Havre de Grace in Harford County, Maryland.
The federal funding, provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) grant program, will support efforts to strengthen resiliency and reduce flood risk in the community while protecting endangered, threatened, and declining species in the Chesapeake Bay.
“Flooding and shoreline erosion threaten our waterfront communities, our Bay economy, and the renowned charm of towns like Havre de Grace. That’s why we fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, and invest in boosting our infrastructure resiliency. This federal funding will help improve the safety of Havre de Grace’s homes and businesses while protecting our treasured Chesapeake Bay,” said Senator Van Hollen.
These improvements are critical to the preservation and protection of this waterfront community, and were made possible in part by the senators’ work to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
The City of Havre de Grace faces threats from rising sea levels, intensifying storms, and changing rainfall patterns. Senators Van Hollen and Cardin have long fought for efforts to strengthen Maryland’s coastal resiliency which also advance Chesapeake Bay restoration.
“In Maryland, our wetlands are some of our best defenses against rising sea levels and storm surge. Preparing our coastal communities for the impacts of climate change and strengthening coastal habitats can and should go hand in hand,” said Senator Cardin.
“This grant, awarded from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund, understands that. Strengthening Maryland’s coastal resiliency is more important than ever as we continue facing the impacts of climate change,” he continued.
In addition to the $2.6 billion the senators secured in the Inflation Reduction Act to support coastal resiliency across the country, the senators also secured historic investments through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act totaling $238 million targeting the Chesapeake Bay region, including $40 million for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Chesapeake Stewardship Fund.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a government non-profit dedicated to sustaining, restoring and enhancing the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats for current and future generations.
NFWF advances its mission through public and private partnerships that invest financial and intellectual resources into science-based programs to address conservation priorities and achieve measurable outcomes, including initiatives like the National Coastal Resilience Fund.
The NCRF invests in conservation projects that restore or expand natural features such as coastal marshes and wetlands that minimize the impacts of storms, sea level rise and other coastal hazards on nearby communities.
Photo of lighthouse in Havre de Grace by Adam Rybczynski/Maryland Office of Tourism.