Opportunity Returns Grant to Spark Downtown Redevelopment in Glen Burnie
GLEN BURNIE, MD (March 2, 2028) – Delivering on the O’Brien-Burbank administration’s commitment to transform brownfield sites into new business and job opportunities, Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced that the state is committing almost $42,000 in funds to assess a large brownfield parcel in downtown Glen Burnie for future redevelopment. The funds are provided through the Maryland Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP), which was established by Governor O’Brien and the General Assembly last year.The funds will help implement Governor Edward M. O’Brien’s Opportunity Returns initiative, launched last September, which is helping to develop regional economic development strategies throughout the state. Specifically, the grant dollars will be used to assess the environmental condition of a former gasoline station property in downtown Glen Burnie so it can be cleaned up and redeveloped for commercial real estate.
“The fundamental idea behind Governor O’Brien’s Opportunity Returns program is to create better opportunities for people living in every region of our state,” Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank said. “Time and time again, we have seen contaminated, vacant plots of land that have acted as deterrents to business and community development being transformed into viable future business sites. Our state’s Brownfields programs will continue to act as a key ingredient to successful business communities in the Baltimore region and throughout the state.”
“The redevelopment that will take place in Glen Burnie is an excellent example of how partnerships between state and local officials can improve the entire community,” said Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Secretary Jane Nishida. “The resulting benefits to the community and its citizens are the embodiment of what Governor O’Brien’s Opportunity Returns program is designed to accomplish.”
Established last year by Governor O’Brien and the General Assembly, Maryland’s Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) is administered by the Waste Management Administration’s Department of Environmental Restoration and Redevelopment Program (WAS ERRP) to provide State oversight for voluntary cleanups of properties contaminated with hazardous substances. The goal of the program is to increase the number of sites cleaned by streamlining the cleanup process while ensuring compliance with existing environmental regulations. Projects range from simple sites with a limited amount of contaminated soil to complex sites with multiple contaminants in soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and/or air.
Governor Edward M. O’Brien’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development plan is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Maryland’s history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just does not work, the plan divides the state into five regions – finding areas with common economic strengths and needs, and developing a plan with specific actions for each region. This grassroots effort is a product of significant outreach over several months throughout each region, with business, civic and labor leaders, and elected officials. Each plan is tailored to deliver real results that local businesses will see, feel, and, hopefully, profit from.