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Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area Announces FY2017 Mini-Grant Awards
The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West is pleased to announce the recipients of the FY2017 Mini-grants awarded through the Heritage Area. Over $3,750 was awarded to local organizations to provide funding for innovative exhibits, tours, events, planning and projects which build upon interpretive themes identified in the Heritage Area’s Management Plan. These include: Transportation, Man and Nature, Historic Recreation, and Cultural Uniqueness. Projects seek to attract cultural and heritage tourists to the region. Recipients must match the grant dollar for dollar and complete the projects by May 31, 2017. Grant funding is still available until the $10,000 cap is met and applications and guidelines may be found at the Garrett Heritage website, www.garrettheritage.com.
FY2017 Mini-Grant Awards:
End of the Line Bookstore Signage – $165.50 awarded to the non-profit organization End of the Line Bookstore to create and install signage for the bookstore to create awareness to visitors and residents.
Garrett County Celtic Festival – $2,000 awarded to the Highland Festival of Garrett County, Inc. for assistance of event elements including advertising, children’s village and performers/demonstrators.
Meshach Browning Trail System Signage – $1,135 awarded to the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club to create and install trail signage depicting the story of famous local hunter, Meshach Browning.
Enabling Equipment for Digital Oral History – $476 awarded to the Garrett County Historical Society to film and record oral histories from Garrett County residents.
“We are excited to support these local projects by leveraging the heritage area funds we receive through our management grant from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority,” said Jen Durben, Heritage Area & Groups Director. “Many local projects would not be possible without mini-grants and these projects help promote heritage tourism to Garrett County.”
About The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area
The Mountain Maryland Gateway to the West Heritage Area is one of 13 certified Heritage Areas by the state of Maryland. Established in September of 2011 and managed by the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, the Heritage Area’s mission is to engage public and private partners in the commitment to preserve historical, cultural and natural resources for sustainable economic development through heritage tourism. The Mini-Grant Program is made possible through a Management Grant that the Chamber receives from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA), a state heritage organization and program of the Maryland Historical Trust.
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Frostburg bars use of city land and water for fracking
FROSTBURG, Md. (AP) – The western Maryland city of Frostburg is banning the use of city land and water for fracking.
The Cumberland Times-News (http://bit.ly/2gT17kD ) reports that the City Council voted unanimously Thursday to adopt an ordinance prohibiting drilling and extraction of oil and natural gas on city-owned land. The ordinance also prohibits sales of city-owned water for those purposes
The drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, uses highly pressurized water and chemicals to fracture rock formations and release trapped gas.
The protected land includes about 1,800 acres of the Piney Reservoir watershed in neighboring Garrett County. The reservoir is the largest source of Frostburg drinking water.
Anti-fracking activists also are seeking a ban on fracking within the Frostburg city limits.
A statewide moratorium on fracking is set to expire in October.
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Garrett County begins review of 10-year comprehensive plan
OAKLAND, Md. (AP) — Garrett County officials are launching a review of the county’s comprehensive plan, which was last updated in 2008.
The planning commission begins the process Wednesday afternoon in Oakland.
The resulting document will have implications for both Deep Creek Lake tourism and for expanded natural gas production if the state permits the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. A state moratorium on fracking is set to expire in October.
State regulators have proposed fracking regulations that would prohibit wellheads within the 41,000-acre Deep Creek Lake watershed.
Residents of Western Maryland don’t want fracking
The Dec. 5 Metro article “Extension of Md. fracking halt likely as legislative fight looms” quoted Del. Jason C. Buckel (R-District 1B) as saying, “In general, I think it would be unfair to suggest that there’s been a significant movement of people opposed to fracking in Allegany or Garrett.” I disagree. As a business owner long involved in this issue in Garrett County, I know the anti-fracking movement is strong and growing.
At an Allegany County meeting two weeks ago, anti-fracking comments dominated for hours, with several dozen people speaking in favor of a ban. Almost 700 Frostburg residents, more than voted in the last municipal election, have signed a petition supporting a fracking ban within city limits, and hundreds have turned out at public meetings on the issue. Mr. Buckel attended the Frostburg and county delegation meetings.
In August, the House Environment and Transportation Committee held a hearing in Garrett County on fracking; an overflow audience of 450 attended, with 70 percent speaking against fracking. The Garrett County towns of Mountain Lake Park and Friendsville have passed fracking-ban ordinances and received support from their citizens.
Fracking opposition in Western Maryland comes from farmers, business owners, students, health professionals and faith leaders. We insist that for the sake of our health and communities, Maryland ban fracking once and for all.
Paul Roberts, Friendsville, Md.
The writer is board president of Citizen Shale.
Governor Hogan confirmed as keynote speaker at PACE Breakfast
The Cumberland/Allegany County Industrial Foundation, Inc. (CACIF) and the Garrett County Development Corporation are the hosts of the upcoming 41st PACE Reception and PACE Breakfast at the Loews Annapolis Hotel on Thursday evening, January 26, 2017 and Friday morning, January 27, 2017.
According to State Senator George C. Edwards, The Office of Governor Larry Hogan has confirmed that the Governor has graciously accepted the invitation to be the keynote speaker at the PACE Breakfast.
$1.9 million in a grant and a loan to Oakland in Garrett County for water-distribution system improvements
ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved a $19.2 million grant to Washington County to assist with an ongoing upgrade to the Conococheague Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Through the Bay Restoration Fund, the grant will provide funding toward planning, design and construction costs to complete an enhanced-nutrient removal, or ENR, upgrade at the plant near Williamsport, according to a state news release.
The county’s share was one of three grants and loans announced Wednesday, totaling $21 million, to help reduce pollution, improve water quality and provide safe drinking water.
Other payments included $1.9 million in a grant and a loan to Oakland in Garrett County for water-distribution system improvements, as well as $575,000 in two grants for a wastewater-facilities upgrade in Somerset County.”These are smart investments to protect public health and prevent water pollution in Maryland communities and the Chesapeake Bay,” state Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles said in the release.
“Upgrading sewage treatment systems in Somerset and Washington counties and improving the water system in the Town of Oakland will help us to green and grow the state’s economy and lead in the race to protect and restore Chesapeake Bay watersheds,” he said.
The public works panel is composed of Gov. Larry Hogan, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot.
After the county upgrade, nitrogen and phosphorus discharge from the plant off Elliott Parkway will be cut by 62.5 percent and 85 percent, respectively, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged to the Upper Potomac River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
Environmental officials say excessive amounts of nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, lead to lowered levels of oxygen needed to support aquatic life in waterways.
The project also increases the plant’s capacity from 4.1 million gallons per day to 4.5 million gallons per day, the release said.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners earlier this year awarded a $23.7 million contract for the project to HRI Bridge Co., of State College, Pa., the same company that completed the state-mandated ENR upgrade at the Winebrenner Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cascade.
