ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 13, 2005) – Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. announced today’s Board of Public Works approval of a $100,000 grant to support upgrade of the Hurlock Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dorchester County. The Board is comprised of Governor Ehrlich, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller William D. Schaefer.

“The funds approved today are an essential part of Maryland’s effort to achieve a 40 percent reduction in the amount of nutrients discharged to the Chesapeake Bay, while also improving local water quality to Wrights Branch,” said Governor Ehrlich.

The project at the Hurlock Wastewater Treatment Plant will consist of planning, designing and constructing a biological nutrient removal (BNR) facility that will improve the plant’s total nitrogen and phosphorus removal capabilities. Existing lagoons at the facility will be replaced with activated sludge BNR system as part of the upgrade.

Excess nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, lead to degraded water quality, which negatively impact the ecology of the Bay and its tributaries.

“The Town of Hurlock is grateful for the funding by the Board,” said Hurlock Mayor Don W. Bradley. “State officials have been very helpful in working through Hurlock’s future wastewater needs to ensure cost effective improvements that will benefit business, industry and the residential community.”

The total cost of the project is $6.8 million financed through a combination of low interest state loans and grants from the Water Quality Infrastructure Program, both administered by the Maryland Department of the Environment, and a contribution from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Design work began in June 2004, but the project has a proposed completion date of August 2006.

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