Board of Public Works approves funding for clean water and the Chesapeake Bay
Board of Public Works approves funding for clean water and the Chesapeake Bay
Grants and loans will reduce pollution, energy consumption
BALTIMORE (April 6, 2022) – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved more than $23 million in grants and loans today to reduce water pollution and save energy. The board is composed of Governor Larry Hogan, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis and Comptroller Peter Franchot.
“These are smart investments to protect public health and the environment,” said Maryland Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles. “Moving ahead with the Piscataway sewage treatment plant bio-energy project and upgrading sewer and wastewater treatment systems will help us to green and grow the state’s economy and lead in the race to protect and restore Chesapeake Bay watersheds.”
The following projects were approved today:
Piscataway Wastewater Treatment Plant Bio-Energy project – Prince George’s County
A $15 million Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund loan to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, in addition to previous loans of more than $128 million and a previous $3 million Energy Water Infrastructure Program grant, will help fund the design and construction of bio-energy facilities at the Piscataway Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will receive sludge from other WSSC wastewater treatment plants. The project will include a process to precondition sludge prior to anaerobic digestion, an anaerobic digestion facility and a facility to produce dewatered “Class A biosolids,” which can be beneficially reused as fertilizer on farms and sold to home gardeners. Also, a combined heat and power facility will be built to capture the biogas from the digestion to produce steam and electricity for the plant. Odor control, process water treatment, generators, and boilers are also included in the project. The project will recover renewable energy and reduce energy, chemical and sludge disposal costs. Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy and biogas can help the Chesapeake Bay by reducing nitrogen pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The project will be constructed in accordance with coastal and non-coastal resiliency guidelines developed as part of the Coast Smart Program to reduce climate change risks to such projects.
WSSC Sewer Basin Reconstruction Program —Prince George’s County
Bay Restoration Fund grants totaling $7,747,811 to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission will help fund a broad program to repair, replace and rehabilitate sewers and manholes on or near state, local and county road right-of-ways throughout Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.
These grants are for improvements in the Beaverdam Sewer Basin, the Northwest Sewer Basin, the Parkway Sewer Basin and the Piscataway Sewer Basin, all in Prince George’s County. These projects are consistent with Maryland’s climate change adaptation and resiliency objectives through the reduction of runoff that is exacerbated by increased precipitation or flooding events.
Rock Hall Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade project – Kent County
A $637,000 Bay Restoration Fund grant to the Town of Rock Hall will help fund the design of an Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrade of the town’s wastewater treatment plant. After the upgrade, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 83% and its phosphorus discharge by 70%, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients to Gray’s Inn Creek and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. Excessive amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus lead to lowered levels of oxygen needed to support aquatic life in waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay. ENR upgrades of wastewater treatment plants are a critical component of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay restoration plan. This project will be constructed in accordance with coastal and non-coastal resiliency guidelines developed as part of the Coast Smart Program to reduce climate change risks to such projects.
# # #