BALTIMORE, MD (December 5, 2012) – The Maryland Board of Public Works approved more than $8 million in grants today to reduce pollution and improve water quality by upgrading wastewater treatment plants. The Board is composed of Governor Martin O’Malley, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot. Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown represented Governor O’Malley at today’s meeting.

"Projects such as these are an important part of our effort to improve Maryland waterways, including the Chesapeake Bay," said Lieutenant Governor Brown. "These projects reduce pollution and protect the environment and public health while creating jobs for more Marylanders."

The following projects were approved today:

• Emmitsburg Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade – Frederick County

  A $5,096,000 Bay Restoration Fund grant and a $341,456 Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Projects grant to the Town of Emmitsburg, in addition to a previous $485,000 Bay Restoration fund grant, will help fund the planning, design and construction of Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) refinements and an Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrade at the existing 0.75 million gallons per day Emmitsburg Wastewater Treatment Plant. After the upgrades, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 63 percent and its phosphorus discharge by 85 percent, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged into the Upper Monocacy River, the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

• Gas House Pike Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade – Frederick County

  A $700,000 Bay Restoration Fund grant and a $500,000 Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Projects grant to the City of Frederick, in addition to a previous $758,000 Bay Restoration Fund grant, will help fund the design and construction of Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) refinements and an Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrade at the existing 8 million gallons per day Gas House Pike Wastewater Treatment Plant. After the upgrades, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 67 percent and its phosphorus discharge by 85 percent, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged into the Monocacy River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

• Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade – Washington, D.C.

  A $1 million Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Projects grant to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, in addition to a previous $106 million Bay Restoration Fund grant, will help fund the planning, design and construction of Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) and Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrades at the existing 370 million gallons per day Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. Blue Plains is the largest advanced wastewater treatment plant in the world. After the upgrades, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 83 percent, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged into the Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

• Winebrenner Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade – Washington County

  A $250,000 Bay Restoration Fund grant and a $100,000 Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Projects grant to Washington County, in addition to a previous $100,000 Bay Restoration Fund grant, will help fund the planning, design and construction of Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) and Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrades at the existing 0.60 million gallons per day Winebrenner Wastewater Treatment Plant. After the upgrades, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 83 percent and its phosphorus discharge by 90 percent, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged into the Antietam River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

• Smith Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade – Somerset County

  A $30,000 Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Projects grant to Somerset County will help fund planning to upgrade the Tylerton and Ewell-Rhodes Point Wastewater Treatment Plants at Smith Island. The planning phase includes engineering evaluations of various alternatives to determine the most appropriate and cost effective upgrades.

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