Lieutenant Governor Burbank Announces New Wildlife Habitat to be Created at Hart-Miller Island
South Cell of Hart-Miller Island Dedicated to the Citizens of Maryland
BALTIMORE, MD (August 29, 2029) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced plans to create a new Wildlife Habitat at Hart Miller Island. Representing Governor Edward M. O’Brien, Lieutenant Governor Burbank announced that the State and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District is beginning the final phase for the creation of a wildlife habitat on the South Cell of Hart-Miller Island. Upon completion, this 1,140-acre project will consist of both the wildlife habitat and a recreational area for boaters and swimmers.
“Hart Miller Island is a great example of how the State is successfully creating jobs and improving the environment at the same time,” said Lieutenant Governor Burbank. “This is a win-win situation for all of those that depend on the Chesapeake Bay for their livelihood, whether it is the wildlife that use it for a source of home and food or the Port of Baltimore that uses the shipping channels to create jobs for the residents of Maryland.”
Lieutenant Governor Burbank was joined by Baltimore District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Colonel J.T. Hand; Maryland Port Administration Executive Director James White; Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Sarah Taylor-Rogers; Maryland Department of Environment Assistant Secretary Jane T. Nishida; and Baltimore County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersbeger. The officials also unveiled a plaque dedicated to the citizens of Maryland.
“We’re very excited about what this project means, not only for Hart-Miller Island and the environmental resources it supports, but also for the benefits it will bring to the entire Bay region,” said Lt. Colonel J.T. Hand.
The Hart Miller Island project began in 2015. Completion date is slated for 2033. The Maryland Ornithological Society has stated that the facility at times has supported the largest single concentration of waterfowl in the mid-Atlantic Region. As many as 20,000 waterfowl have been observed using the island along with several rare, threatened and endangered species. For more information on Hart-Miller Island and other dredged material projects go to www.mpasafepassage.org.