WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) joined local leaders and partners in Frederick and Howard Counties earlier this month to highlight $2,810,000 in direct federal investments for three community projects.
The lawmakers first visited the Village of Burkittsville, where they were joined by Mayor Michael Robinson, State Senator William Folden, Councilmember Jerry Donald, and members of the Burkittsville Village Council to mark the $385,000 in federal funding they secured to upgrade drainage and stormwater infrastructure after repeated catastrophic flooding. The Senators then joined County Executive Jessica Fitzwater and leaders from Frederick County to highlight the $1,275,000 they secured to install a solar-charged microgrid to support the County’s emergency response systems. Finally, the Senators and Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) joined Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) for a roundtable discussion with local small business owners on the importance of the $1,150,000 the lawmakers secured for the Federal Lab Leveraging Innovation to Products (FLLIP) Pilot Program.
“From our ideal geographic location to the strength of our academic institutions, Maryland has key advantages that foster an environment prime for innovation. Across the state, we’re investing in innovative, community-led projects that help us adapt to the realities of our current environment,” said Senator Cardin. “Advancing flood mitigation and microgrid projects in Frederick County will make the county more resilient against the impacts of climate change. Expanding TEDCO’s FLLIP program will help get more young innovators into the field, connect startups with government partners and transfer new health technologies to the private sector. These federal investments will strengthen our economy and help secure the future of Maryland.”
“We fought for these direct investments with a key goal in mind: to strengthen our communities and boost our economy. These funds will ensure local water infrastructure can withstand dangerous floods, emergency responders can continue working during disasters, and small businesses across the state have the resources they need to thrive,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee.
“Maryland continues to be a national leader in biotechnology as a result of TEDCO’s commitment to helping connect small health care and biotech businesses with the resources necessary to succeed,” said Congressman John Sarbanes. “The new federal funding and partnership opportunities with our state’s more than 70 federal labs made available through the FLLIP Pilot Program will enable Maryland companies to further develop innovative health care solutions while boosting our local economy and helping to improve public health across the country.”
Burkittsville has experienced repeated flooding, including two recent 100-year flood events that damaged homes, hurt local businesses, and eroded the Town’s Main Street. The $385,000 in direct federal funding will allow Burkittsville to begin its engineering and design work to address drainage and stormwater issues on East Main Street and prevent future flooding.
“The Historic Village of Burkittsville is deeply appreciative of this grant, which will help us move towards improving our roadway and implement solutions to manage our stormwater. Thank you to Senators Cardin, Van Hollen, and everyone whose diligent efforts went towards getting these funds for Burkittsville, where everyone will benefit from them,” said Mayor Michael Robinson.
The solar-charged microgrid that Frederick County will install utilizing the $1,275,000 in direct federal funding will ensure a more reliable, energy- and cost-efficient power supply for several critical County services in the event of a grid power failure, including its 911 Emergency Communications Center, Emergency Operations Center, and Interagency Information Technology Data Center.
“With the microgrid, we can continue to provide critical services to the community, even during an extreme hazardous event with grid failure,” County Executive Fitzwater said. “I am extremely grateful to Senator Cardin and Senator Van Hollen for their support for this important clean-energy project in a neighborhood that has been historically underserved.”
TEDCO provides critical funding, resources, and connections for early-stage technology and life sciences small businesses and entrepreneurs in Maryland. The $1,150,000 in direct federal funding for the FLLIP Program will help small healthcare and biotech businesses in Maryland form partnerships with over 70 federal labs in the state, enabling them to develop innovative solutions to healthcare challenges.
“At TEDCO, we understand that collaboration breeds innovation,” said Troy LeMaile-Stovall, TEDCO CEO. “With the creation of the FLLIP Pilot Program, we are looking forward to enabling more innovative research and development throughout the state while promoting more connections that will support breeding a more inclusive and sustainable ecosystem in Maryland.”
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