House Approves Investments for 5th District Public Safety & Research Initiatives
"This legislation contains a number of investments in public safety, as well as critical research initiatives in Maryland's 5th District," stated Rep. Hoyer. "I am pleased to have secured these funds, which meet specific needs identified by local law enforcement to keep our communities safe and free of crime. The research investments are also important to maintaining Maryland's role in scientific innovation and discovery and enhancing our ability to address new challenges."
At Congressman Hoyer's request, the following funding was included for 5th District projects in the bill passed by the House:
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
Prince George's County-Montgomery County Gang Prevention and Suppression Task Force - $2,700,000
Incidents of gang activity have remained steady in both Prince George's and Montgomery counties, with three specific areas identified as hot spots for gang violence-Langley Park, Hyattsville and Landover. The approved funding will provide additional resources for a joint Prince George's County-Montgomery County Gang Prevention and Suppression Task Force that will coordinate law enforcement activities and provide program support for prevention and intervention efforts. The program will be administered through the University of Maryland Public Safety Training and Technical Assistance Program.
Prince George's County Municipal Interoperability Upgrades - $500,000
This investment will help equip nineteen municipalities in Prince George's County with interoperable communication devices and technology. With the October 2010 deadline looming for the changeover to the 700 MHz frequency, it is imperative public safety officials have the technology necessary to communicate on the 700 MHz band. These funds will help ensure Prince George's County is able communicate within the 700 MHz Public Safety Spectrum to provide effective emergency services to the more than 800,000 county residents.
"This investment will help provide the tools necessary for Prince George's County municipalities to respond to local emergencies and coordinate with federal and state partners on regional emergency response," stated Rep. Hoyer.
SOUTHERN MARYLAND
Calvert County Mobile Data Terminals - $500,000
This investment will go to the Calvert County Department of Public Safety to support law enforcement and public safety around Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Calvert County. Ensuring the security of this facility is both a local and national security interest. This investment will allow public safety officials to communicate and share information more effectively and efficiently in the protection of the local population and the plant.
St. Mary's County Office of the Sheriff In-Car Video Technology - $500,000
This investment will aid the St. Mary's County Office of the Sheriff in purchasing in-car video cameras and related technology. In-car cameras support law enforcement by assuring residents of professionalism and improving the delivery of police services. For example, once downloaded video is captured and downloaded to the server, it would be easily retrievable for use as evidence in criminal proceedings. This technology is valuable both as a training aide to improve officer safety and an unbiased tool to ensure the accountability and integrity of officers.
Alliance for Coastal Technologies - $500,000
This investment will support the Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT), a consortium of research institutions, state and regional resource managers, and private sector companies focused on developing and applying sensor technologies for monitoring and studying coastal environments. Funding would be directed to the ACT headquarters at the UMCES Chesapeake Biological Laboratory for the purpose of helping coastal managers, researchers, and marine industries access the latest and most advanced testing and monitoring technology for real time data, including water temperature, salinity, currents, and nutrient levels, necessary to understand the unique environmental challenges facing our coastal waters and use this knowledge toward research critical to sustaining them.
CHESAPEAKE BAY/OYSTER RESTORATION
"A plentiful oyster population is critical to the health of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, as well as the livelihood of our Southern Maryland watermen," stated Rep. Hoyer. "This $900,000 investment will add substantial resources to our oyster restoration efforts, while also developing a hatchery model to stabilize the local industry and keep our watermen on the water."
Chesapeake Bay Oyster Restoration - $700,000
This investment will be directed to the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office for native oyster restoration in both Maryland and Virginia portions of the Chesapeake Bay. Due to disease, pollution, and over fishing, bay oyster populations are only about two percent of their levels just a century ago. In order to restore the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay, oyster restoration must be undertaken on a much larger scale. Maryland and Virginia have committed to provide $50 million in state funding for this effort over the course of ten years.
Oyster Hatchery Economic Pilot Program, Morgan State University -$200,000
This funding will continue the work of the Oyster Hatchery Economic Pilot Program to restore a healthy oyster population in the Bay while helping to stabilize the social and cultural foundation of the local watermen communities. The program represents a partnership between the Calvert County Watermen's Association and the Estuarine Research Center to increase hatchery efficiency and expand control of the industry to local watermen.
Approval by the House is the first major step in the Federal appropriations process. The Senate must pass its version of the measure and reconcile that with the House bill that must be approved before sending to the President to be signed into law.
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