ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 18, 2007) – Governor Martin O’Malley announced Board of Public Works approval of a $10.9 million Bay Restoration Fund Grant increase for the City of Havre de Grace to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant on July 11. The Board is comprised of Governor Martin O’Malley, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot.

“Upgrading wastewater treatment plants is critical to achieving nutrient reductions discharged into the Chesapeake Bay,” said Shari T. Wilson, secretary, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). “We serve Marylanders to protect and restore the state’s natural resources. This grant is significant in expediting the technological advancements to reduce nutrient flow to the Bay.”

This project involves upgrading the 1.89 million per day (mgd) City of Havre de Grace Wastewater Treatment Plant with technology to achieve Enhanced Nutrient Removal. The City is also applying for low interest loans to increase the plant capacity to a permitted design capacity of 3.3 mgd to accommodate planned growth within the City limits. The project will reduce nutrient loading into the Chesapeake Bay. Once upgraded and operating at full capacity, the plant will still result in a decrease from current loading in nitrogen by 40 percent (an 18,000 reduction) and phosphorus by 82 percent (a 9,000 pound reduction) from entering the Chesapeake Bay.

“I thank MDE and the State of Maryland providing the grant funding to the City of Havre de Grace for our Enhanced Nutrient Removal project as well as the loan funding for the expansion of our wastewater treatment plant,” said Havre de Grace Mayor Wayne H. Dougherty. “We look forward to working with the State over the next several years as we achieve our mutual goal of improving the environment for our children and enhancing the quality of life for all those who live, work and play in Havre de Grace and on the Chesapeake Bay.”

Upgrading the facility will help Maryland’s effort to achieve a 40 percent reduction in the amount of nutrients discharged to the Chesapeake Bay and to meet its commitments under the Chesapeake Bay 2000 Agreement. When Maryland’s 66 major plants are upgraded through the fund, there will be a 7.5 million pound annual reduction in nitrogen and a 260,000-pound annual reduction in phosphorus flowing into the Bay’s tributaries.

The construction is in progress, and is expected to be complete in December 2009.

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