Maryland receives federal flood mitigation, Chesapeake Bay funding

Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun on Apr 23, 2026

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The United States Environmental Protection Agency awarded $39 million to Chesapeake Bay watershed states, including Maryland, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded $800,000 in funds for state flood-mitigation projects.

The EPA shifted money from coordination activities to field-tested projects, according to its announcement Wednesday, redirecting savings to states implementing the Chesapeake Bay watershed agreement. The funding is intended to support restoration projects that reduce nutrient and sediment run-off into the Bay and its tributaries. The money is in addition to $18 million awarded to these states earlier this year for the watershed.

“Every dollar we move from overhead to action is a dollar that cleans up a local stream, strengthens a community, and restores the Chesapeake Bay,” EPA Region 3 Administrator Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey said in a statement. “This funding empowers our state and District partners — along with farmers, towns, and community groups — to put proven practices in place faster. It’s cooperative federalism in motion, and it advances EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment.”

The Chesapeake Bay Trust and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation typically partner to administer federal funds for bay watershed improvements, according to the EPA website.

In a separate statement, FEMA released $823,715 to Maryland to elevate two structures above the floodplain and prevent structural damage or threats to life and safety. The agency did not specify which structures or floodplains they are located within.

Neither FEMA nor the Maryland Department of Emergency Management responded immediately to requests for clarification.

This funding is part of the $250 million that FEMA announced Wednesday for more than 100 flood mitigation projects nationwide.

FEMA distributed these awards through its Flood Mitigation Assistance and Swift Current programs. According to the agency, the funds empower states to address the effects of floods, the most common and costly type of natural disaster.

Last year, FEMA rejected Maryland’s request for emergency funding when creeks in Allegany and Garrett counties flooded in May, causing more than $33 million in damage to homes and forcing evacuations in both counties. Georges Creek surged more than 12 feet above the major flood stage. Wills Creek in Cumberland rose 8 feet. The Potomac River also flooded. The towns of Midland, Lonaconing, and Westernport were among the hardest-hit areas.

Last week, the USDA also made loans available to farmers in nine Maryland counties experiencing drought this growing season.