Governor Ehrlich Announces BPW Approval of $264,402 in Ocean Beach Maintenance Funds to Maintain Ocean City Dunes Maryland, Worcester County, and Ocean City share cost

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ANNAPOLIS, MD — Emphasizing the clear need to safeguard Ocean City’s beach, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. today announced Board of Public Works approval of $264,402 from the Ocean Beach Maintenance Fund to maintain the coastal dunes.

“Each year, millions of families from all over the country come to visit Ocean City and its beach,” said Governor Ehrlich. “I am extremely pleased that the State of Maryland, Worcester County, and Ocean City are continuing a partnership that has successfully preserved the acres of dunes that are a vital part of this great stretch of beach.”

The Board approved $264,402 from the Ocean Beach Maintenance Fund to maintain the dunes that run from the Ocean City boardwalk to the Delaware state line. This project includes replanting dune vegetation, replacing damaged fencing, and repairing the clay surfaces of pedestrian and vehicular dune cross-overs.

Maintenance and repairs are needed each year to restore areas damaged by storms and tides. In all, there are 73 acres of dunes. In a typical year, 4 to 5 acres are replanted with vegetation, and 2.5 to 3 miles of fencing are replaced. This annual maintenance project is part of the Ocean City Beach Replenishment Project, which also adds sand to the beach every four years.

The State of Maryland, Worcester County, and Ocean City contribute 50 percent, 25 percent, and 25 percent, respectively, to the Ocean Beach Maintenance Fund, established in 1989. Maryland’s share, which is $132,201 for dune maintenance this year, is provided through Program Open Space.

DNR’s Program Open Space is a nationally recognized program that provides funding for Maryland’s state and local parks and conservation areas. More than 4,600 county and municipal park and conservation projects have been completed through the program, improving the quality of life for millions of Marylanders.

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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov