Washington, DC – Members of Maryland’s House Delegation met March 1 with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Colonel Edward P. Chamberlayne, Commander and District Engineer of the Baltimore District office, for an update on the Corps’ current activities and projects in Maryland. Colonel Chamberlayne also discussed the Corps’ budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2017 which includes the Baltimore Harbor and channel dredging, Poplar Island, and Chesapeake Bay comprehensive plan. Delegation Members participating in today’s meeting were Representatives Steny H. Hoyer, Chris Van Hollen, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Donna F. Edwards, Andy Harris, and John Delaney.
“I was pleased to meet with the Army Corps of Engineers today on key projects in our state, including St. Patrick’s Creek in St. Mary’s County, and to discuss the Corps’ funding concerns,” stated Congressman Hoyer. “The Corps of Engineers does critical work that is important to protecting our nation and state’s water resources, and I am especially proud of the work they are doing to protect and restore portions of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. I thank the Army Corps of Engineers for joining us today and look forward to continuing to work together with them and our delegation.”
“The Army Corps of Engineers’ work is essential to our effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, while regular dredging of the shipping channels is critical to keeping the Port of Baltimore open for business,” said Congressman Elijah E Cummings. “I will continue working with the entire delegation to ensure that we provide the highest possible funding levels for the Corps and for the many projects that are vital to the success of Maryland.”
“We must continue to support critical Army Corps projects to keep the Port of Baltimore competitive and protect the Chesapeake Bay and its oyster population,” said Congressman Van Hollen. “I thank Colonel Chamberlayne for his leadership and look forward to working together to accomplish our shared priorities for Maryland.”
“The Army Corps of Engineers’ work – including dredging the Port of Baltimore and Chesapeake Bay shipping channels—supports hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the region,” said Congressman Ruppersberger. “In my district, the Army Corps is also responsible for building new facilities at our military installations and restoring parts of the Bay watershed. Helping to keep these investments fully funded has been and will continue to be a top priority of mine.”
“The Army Corps plays a huge part in maintaining the viability of the Port of Baltimore and ensuring that the Chesapeake Bay remains a vibrant environmental resource,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “Both the Port and the Bay are significant economic drivers for our state and I look forward to working with the Corps to keep these efforts on track.”
“It was helpful to meet with Col. Edward P. Chamberlayne, the Commander and District Engineer of the Baltimore District Army Corps of Engineers, and his staff to hear more about the priorities for military construction and public works projects across the state of Maryland,” said Congresswoman Edwards. “From restoration of Poplar Island to the Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population, and Anacostia River Restoration, the Army Corps of Engineers does vital work to solve 21st Century problems while ensuring the success of our environment, economy, and public health in Maryland.”
“It’s great to see the Army Corps work with us to improve the livelihood of the First District and all of Maryland, including moving forward with crucial dredging and beach replenishment projects in Ocean City. I look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure that important projects throughout the First District are funded,” said Congressman Harris.
“Our water infrastructure is crucial both to the health of our environment and the Chesapeake Bay, but also to the health of our citizens,” said Congressman Delaney. “Improving the health of our waters and investing in infrastructure is a win-win creating jobs, and providing good quality of life and economic opportunity for Maryland residents. I thank the Army Corps of Engineers for briefing our federal delegation on their plans for water restoration and infrastructure improvements in Maryland. I will continue to push to make rebuilding America’s infrastructure and protecting the Bay a priority in Congress.”