(March 26, 2015) Berlin Mayor Gee Williams was selected as one of three public officials in the U.S. to participate in a congressional briefing at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. on March 4, in support of federal Coastal Zone Management funding in the budget currently under debate in the U.S. House and Senate.
Williams gave a speech on the benefits the town of Berlin is receiving from Coastal Zone Management (CZM) funds for the development and maintenance of the town’s new stormwater utility. Berlin’s CZM funding of $964,000 is provided through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.
Representatives of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Mayor Williams worked together through the entire day fulfilling appointments with senior staff representatives of Maryland members of Congress including Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Sen. Ben Cardin, Congressman Andy Harris and Congressman Steny Hoyer, who is the Democratic Minority Whip in the House of Representatives. The mayor had an opportunity to briefly speak with both Sen. Mikulski and Congressman Hoyer during the day-long visit on Capitol Hill.
The annual congressional briefing is hosted by the Coastal States Organization (CSO) which was established in 1970 to represent the governors of the nation’s 35 coastal states on legislative policy issues relating to the sound management of coastal, Great Lakes and ocean resources.
The other two representatives making presentations at the CSO-sponsored congressional briefing were Dr. Kelly Lucas, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and Brian Lynn, State of Washington Department of Ecology. Mike Friis, Wisconsin Department of Administration and chair of the Coastal States Organization, introduced the panel.
“I was very pleased to have the opportunity to share Berlin’s experience and the benefits derived from this federal funding that has been critical in assisting coastal communities in matters of erosion, flooding and water quality for the past 45 years,” Williams said. “Based on the conversations we had with the staff members from the senators and congressman of Maryland, I am hopeful this funding will be preserved during both the immediate and long term future for the benefit of all coastal states.”
Williams gave a speech on the benefits the town of Berlin is receiving from Coastal Zone Management (CZM) funds for the development and maintenance of the town’s new stormwater utility. Berlin’s CZM funding of $964,000 is provided through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund.
Representatives of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Mayor Williams worked together through the entire day fulfilling appointments with senior staff representatives of Maryland members of Congress including Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Sen. Ben Cardin, Congressman Andy Harris and Congressman Steny Hoyer, who is the Democratic Minority Whip in the House of Representatives. The mayor had an opportunity to briefly speak with both Sen. Mikulski and Congressman Hoyer during the day-long visit on Capitol Hill.
The annual congressional briefing is hosted by the Coastal States Organization (CSO) which was established in 1970 to represent the governors of the nation’s 35 coastal states on legislative policy issues relating to the sound management of coastal, Great Lakes and ocean resources.
The other two representatives making presentations at the CSO-sponsored congressional briefing were Dr. Kelly Lucas, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and Brian Lynn, State of Washington Department of Ecology. Mike Friis, Wisconsin Department of Administration and chair of the Coastal States Organization, introduced the panel.
“I was very pleased to have the opportunity to share Berlin’s experience and the benefits derived from this federal funding that has been critical in assisting coastal communities in matters of erosion, flooding and water quality for the past 45 years,” Williams said. “Based on the conversations we had with the staff members from the senators and congressman of Maryland, I am hopeful this funding will be preserved during both the immediate and long term future for the benefit of all coastal states.”