FY2025 Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets

FY2025 Proposed Budget Organizational Budgets

Division of Energy & Environment

providing water quality and quantity control, they cannot address all issues present in a watershed. This is especially true in areas like Frederick County where land use is mixed, and many waterways are present that drain to the local rivers. In many circumstances stream restoration is the best practice available to address observed impacts and solve local issues. Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Planning efforts include the development of feasibility and watershed studies for climate-related flooding, in coordination with Emergency Management’s Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaption Plan. In FY’24 we received $817,200 in Congressionally Directed Funds to remove a high -risk dam above the Point of Rocks MARC Train Station. DEE has integrated hazard planning into its Watershed Restoration CIP and looks for ways to address community flood risks in its projects, including climate risks. The Pollution Reduction program conducts inspections and trainings of County-owned facilities under 11 Industrial Permits. Staff also responds to citizen reports of spills, dumping, and pollutants in waterways, investigating and resolving potential pollution "hotspots" and illicit connections to the storm sewer system. This program will expand in FY’25 to include a new regulatory requirement for good housekeeping plans for County facilities not covered by an industrial permit. A vehicle is requested in FY’2 5 for inspections. The Water Quality Assessments and Monitoring program collects physical, chemical, and biological monitoring data to evaluate urban impacts to the health of waterways. The Frederick County Stream Survey follows Maryland State Biological Stream Survey protocols to monitor the condition of local waterways, using inventories of plant and aquatic insect populations, in-situ water samples, and habitat assessments to determine to ecological health and to identify potential problem areas. This program added new monitoring parameters in FY’24 for fecal coliform bacteria and road salt. Watershed Assessments are completed to evaluate how to correct impacts to waterways through Watershed Restoration. Permit-required Community Engagement and Outreach is conducted by Department staff, as required by the MS4 permit to increase community knowledge and reduce human impact on our watersheds. An Operating Budget reallocation request will be used to create a marketing budget for this program and for Climate & Energy communications in FY’25. DEE’s watershed Restoration CIP includes the public on issues involving their watersheds, exhibits transparency of operations, data availability and ensures decisions are guided through a climate lens. Our Watershed Assessments identify projects to assist residents with problem facilities/issues; DEE works closely with HOAs/residents in the design of our projects to alleviate these situations. All our work is publicly accessible, and we freely share ideas and coordinate with local municipalities in their stormwater efforts.

Practices Used to Fulfill MS4 Permit Requirements

Tree Planting 12%

Stormwater Practices 26%

Stream / Outfall Practices 59%

Septic System Credits 3%

Figure 6: Jefferson Copperfield Sand Filter

Figure 5: Practices used to fulfil MS4 permit by percent

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