Courtesy of the City of Hyattsville
Congress set aside hundreds of thousands of dollars for several City of Hyattsville projects that may stall for lack of funding, according to Route One Finance. However, city spokesperson Cindy Zork told the Life & Times, “City staff have not received any indication that the grants are affected by recent executive orders or other directives from federal leadership.”
In fiscal year 2022, Congress earmarked $870,000 for Hyattsville’s lower Ward 1 stormwater project, which aims to update city infrastructure to manage flood risks and improve water quality. The plan includes, for example, installing channel drains, removing pavement and planting trees in specific areas.
As noted in a March 3 presentation to city council, the stormwater project budget is $1,087,500. This includes the $870,000 grant expected from the federal government and $217,500 from the city. The city planned to submit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant application March 2025, with funding expected this July, according to the presentation.
On March 3, however, the Trump administration stipulated that EPA spending contracts of $50,000 or more must be approved by a Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, member. Zork said that city public works staff met with the EPA on April 4 to review the application. “Based on that feedback,” Zork said, “[the city] will finalize the application and submit as soon as possible.”
Hyattsville reportedly received two other federal earmarks in FY 2022: $400,000 for the Driskell Park redesign and $100,000 for an upgrade to the police department’s evidence lab equipment. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, which manages the park redesign award, told Route One Finance that the city hadn’t submitted any progress reports or received any funds, as of mid-March. Zork told the Life & Times that the city does not have any indication that the funding is at risk and “is currently soliciting for a contractor to perform the work.” She said that the evidence lab equipment was ordered in December 2023 and the city has already been reimbursed for the purchases.
