McClain Delaney, Van Hollen Visit Allegany & Garrett Counties to Highlight Over $5 Million in Federal Funding for Western Maryland Communities

WASHINGTON – On August 20, U.S. Congresswoman April McClain Delaney and Senator Chris Van Hollen(both D-Md.) were in Allegany and Garrett Counties to highlight $5.5 million that they, along with Senator Angela Alsobrooks, secured in Congress for Western Maryland communities. The lawmakers visited Frostburg State University, Potomac Fire Company No. 2 in Westernport, Garrett Regional Medical Center, and Oakland Town Hall in Oakland. This funding is part of the $10,484,000 in Fiscal Year 2026 Congressionally Directed Spending that the Senators fought to deliver for Allegany and Garrett Counties.

“Bringing $5.5 million in federal investments home to Western and Mountain Maryland means investing directly in the people and communities that make our state strong,” said Congresswoman McClain Delaney . “These investments will strengthen health care access, equip our first responders, improve critical infrastructure, and expand STEM opportunities for students. I’m proud to work alongside Senators Van Hollen and Alsobrooks to deliver for Western and Mountain Maryland and ensure every community has the resources and opportunities to thrive.”

“Local partnerships help us identify the priorities that matter most to our communities, and through those partnerships, Team Maryland works to deliver federal investments needed to move those projects forward – just like these across the region. From expanding educational opportunities and medical services to supporting first responders and infrastructure upgrades, these federal dollars are being put to work where they can make a real difference for Western Maryland residents and communities and have the greatest impact,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“What I’ve seen and heard as I’ve gone around the state – including while I was in Western and Mountain Maryland – is that residents everywhere want the same things. We all want affordable health care, the ability to buy a home, groceries we can actually afford, gas that isn’t skyrocketing out of control every single day, and the opportunity to actually create generational wealth. And while we’re currently dealing with an administration that doesn’t care about solving these issues, my focus since day one has been to deliver for Marylanders. That’s why I was so proud to partner with Senator Van Hollen and Congresswoman McClain Delaney to secure $5.5 million in federal investment for Western Maryland communities, including for Frostburg State University, Potomac Fire Company No. 2 in Westernport, and the Garrett Regional Medical Center and Oakland Town Hall in Oakland,” said Senator Alsobrooks .

The lawmakers first visited Frostburg State University’s Planetarium, where they highlighted $2.8 million in direct federal funding they secured in Congress to purchase new equipment for the Planetarium and provide more STEM education opportunities for students. The investment is in addition to $750,000 in FY23 Congressionally Directed Spending that Senator Van Hollen helped secure for this initiative.

“This investment allows us to build on the tremendous momentum generated by the Planetarium’s reopening and significantly expand its educational impact,” said Frostburg State University President Dr. Shadow JQ Robinson. “The Planetarium is more than a place to observe the night sky. It is a gateway to discovery that will connect students and community members to science, technology and exploration through innovative, interactive experiences.”

The lawmakers then visited Potomac Fire Company No. 2, where they highlighted a $675,000 federal investment they secured in Congress to replace the Company’s 35-year-old fire engine.

“We extend our sincere thanks to U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks, and Congresswoman April McClain Delaney for their unwavering support in helping secure the funding needed to replace our 35-year-old engine. This engine has proudly served the Town of Westernport and surrounding communities for decades, but is now in desperate need of replacement. This investment will ensure our firefighters have the reliable equipment they need to continue providing lifesaving emergency services for years to come. We are incredibly grateful for their support and look forward to putting a new engine in service for generations to come,” said Bill Kight, President, Potomac Fire Company No. 2.

The lawmakers next visited Garrett Regional Medical Center, where they highlighted a $1 million federal investment they secured in Congress to help plan and design the new radiation department, which will provide on-site radiation treatment services for patients across the region.

“On behalf of the Board, staff, patients, and community, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the support from Senator Van Hollen, Senator Alsobrooks, and Congresswoman Delaney. Their support will help ensure access to care for radiation oncology services in Garrett County so our citizens will no longer have to travel long distances to receive care.  The entire community is grateful for their leadership and true compassion and caring for the patients we serve,” said Mark Boucot, President and CEO of Garrett Regional Medical Center.

Lastly, the lawmakers joined Oakland’s Mayor and Town Council at the Oakland Town Hall, where they highlighted $1 million in direct federal funding they secured in Congress to replace the town’s aging water infrastructure. This project will correct critical distribution failures, including low pressure and volume issues, and ensure compliance with the International Fire Code. This investment is in addition to $364,632 in federal funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission that the lawmakers helped secure last year to support upgrades to the town’s water system.

“We are incredibly thankful to Senator Van Hollen, Senator Alsobrooks, and Congresswoman McClain Delaney for securing this investment to upgrade our water system. The improvements will fix low pressure and volume issues on the west side of town, ensuring that residents have sufficient water and that fire emergency personnel have the flow required to protect our community. This $1 million in federal funding represents over half of our annual water and sewer budget, highlighting that a town of our size cannot tackle infrastructure projects of this scale alone. Beyond public safety, this water infrastructure will also enable residential growth. A planned residential development featuring affordable rentals, market-rate rentals, and single-family homes is ready to move forward as soon as we can supply it with water. Thanks to the Appalachian Regional Commission funding that has also been secured, the planning and engineering phase is now underway. This Congressionally Directed Spending ensures we can see the future phases of this project through to completion,” said Mayor Andrew Sauder, Town of Oakland.

The total FY26 Congressionally Directed Spending secured for Allegany County is as follows:

Project Name: Planetarium Equipment
Applicant: Frostburg State University
Project Description: Funds will be used to purchase new equipment for Frostburg State University's Planetarium to support STEM education in Western Maryland.
Amount Included: $2,808,000

Project Name: UPMC Western Maryland Health Access
Applicant: UPMC Western Maryland Corporation
Project Description: Funds will support UPMC Western Maryland Schwab Family Cancer Center's comprehensive radiation therapy services and expand treatment services to include intracranial radiation for patients.
Amount Included: $2,750,000

Project Name: Potomac Fire Company Engine Replacement
Applicant: Potomac Fire Company No.2 Inc.
Project Description: Funds will be used to replace a 35-year-old fire engine to better serve and protect the Town of Westernport.
Amount Included: $675,000

Project Name: Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority for Sediment Testing and Remediation
Applicant: Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority
Project Description: Funds will be used to test and remove contaminants from sediment around the Industrial Dam on the Potomac River in Cumberland, MD, and to develop methods to more efficiently remove sediment to improve water quality.
Amount Included: $500,000

The total FY26 Congressionally Directed Spending secured for Garrett County is as follows:

Project Name: Garrett County Sanitary District for Gorman Water Source Project
Applicant: Garrett County Sanitary District, Inc.
Project Description: Funds will be used to provide water source redundancy by drilling a new production well to replace the previous production well that collapsed.
Amount Included: $1,659,000

Project Name: Town of Oakland for Water System Improvements
Applicant: Town of Oakland
Project Description: Funds will be used to replace Oakland’s antiquated water system infrastructure. The proposed project is necessary to correct critical distribution failures, including low pressure and volume issues, and ensure compliance with the International Fire Code.
Amount Included: $1,092,000

Project Name: Garrett Regional Medical Center Radiology Department Planning and Design
Applicant: Garrett Regional Medical Center
Project Purpose: Funds will be used for a comprehensive radiation department and on-site radiation treatment services for cancer patients in Garrett County, MD, and surrounding communities that currently lack convenient access to this care.

###