August 14, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – A virtual hearing will be held on September 9th at 7:00 p.m. to allow public comment on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) permits needed for multiple Ellicott City flood mitigation projects. WebEx access to attend the hearing can be accessed here. Alternatively, attendees may go to www.webex.com and use meeting number 1604834046 and use the password ‘password’.
“This permit process is critical to moving our flood mitigation projects forward to protect Ellicott City residents and businesses,” said County Executive Calvin Ball. “We hope for an expeditious review process, so we can start these essential projects and continue our work to keep Ellicott City safe and sound.”
For any work proposed in a floodplain or waterway, Howard County must submit a Joint Permit Application (JPA). Every project gets an initial screening by Maryland Historic Trust (MHT). When there are potential impacts to historic or cultural resources as determined by MHT, as there are in Historic Ellicott City, the JPA process includes a formal Section 106 review.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invited a comprehensive list of people and groups who could be potentially impacted by the proposed work to provide oral or written testimony. There will not be technical presentations of the project or question and answer discussions at the hearing. Howard County anticipates permit approval by the end of this calendar year.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers previously reviewed the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan and noted, “the County’s current plan can significantly reduce flood risk to Historic Ellicott City.” Howard County officials were hopeful for this hearing to be held earlier this spring, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and MDE needed more time to prepare due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The joint permit includes the following projects from the Ellicott City Safe and Sound Plan:
- 8777 Frederick Road Culvert Improvement – Increase capacity of existing culvert to convey additional flow under the road.
- 8600 Frederick Road High Flow Bypass Pipe – Increase capacity of existing culvert to convey additional flow under the road.
- 8552 Main Street Flood Berm/8534 Main Street High Flow Bypass Pipe – Increase capacity of existing culvert and grade an earthen berm to increase culvert capacity and reduce water on Main Street.
- Lower Main Street Channel Constriction Removal – Remove the rear portions of six (6) existing buildings to increase the capacity to convey flow during large storm events (8081 Main Street – deck only, 8085-8089 Main Street, 8095-8101 Main Street – first floor only, 8109-8111-8113 Main Street, and 8125 Main Street).
- Lower Main Street Terraced Floodplain – Complete removal of four (4) existing buildings at the lower end of Main Street (8069, 8059, 8055, 8049 Main Street).
- Maryland Avenue High Flow Bypass Culverts – Construct new culverts from Maryland Avenue to Patapsco River to increase flow capacity under CSX Railroad.
- North Tunnel – Construct a tunnel (approximately 1,600 feet long and 15 feet in diameter) from approximately Parking Lot F to the Patapsco River.
Other projects in the Safe and Sound Plan, such as the Quaker Mill Pond and H-7 Pond were assessed by MHT and they did not find any historic resources in those project areas and did not require a Section 106 process or public hearing for those projects.