U.S Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen announce almost $40 million in Chesapeake Bay Restoration Project for Dorchester County

DORCHESTER COUNTY, Md – New federal funding will help continue efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay and Dorchester County.

US Senators, Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin made the trek to Fishing Creek MD on Thursday to announce, new funding for the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Restoration Project.

$39.9 million, will usher in phase 2 of the project, Dorchester County Council President Lenny Pfeffer, said, this will make channels more profitable for watermen. “It’s going to open up gaps in the Honga River so that our seafood industry has a quicker way out to the bay. It’s going to save them hours and a lot of money and fuel.”

Pfeffer said this would effectively improve safety along shipping routes to and from the Port of Baltimore. “We have problems with erosion in Dorchester County so the buildup of the barren islands will help protect us from some of that commercial traffic for trade that goes up and down the bay.”

Approximately, 335,000 cubic yards of material from sludge, mud, and sand will be removed from the river channels. The material will then be restored and expanded to island habitats for area wildlife, like fish, reptiles, and amphibians.

Senator Van Hollen believes this will benefit everyone over time. “We call it a win-win because we’re going to be able to dredge these channels on the Honga River to the port of Baltimore to allow ships and boats to go through more easily and use that material to help build up an ecosystem.”

The Project is expected to be completed by 2067, providing more than 30 years of capacity, to place nearly $95 million cubic yards of dredged material.

“The long-term goal is to take material and use it for beneficial use, so that’s what we’re doing here, this is a model not only for our nation but for the community, take dredge material and turn it into a positive impact for our environment.”