Baltimore, Md. — As the federal government shutdown stretches into its fourth week, Maryland leaders are voicing sharp criticism of the Trump administration’s decision to freeze or withdraw funding for key infrastructure and public works projects across the country — moves they say are hitting blue states particularly hard.
At a meeting of the Maryland Board of Public Works this week, Gov. Wes Moore condemned the administration’s cuts as the board approved $18 million in federal funds for a major flood mitigation tunnel in Howard County, a project aimed at protecting communities vulnerable to severe weather and flash flooding.
“It is not lost at all that this is happening at the same time that we’re seeing, on the federal side, grants that are getting canceled, capital that had already been allocated is now being pulled back,” Moore said. “This is capital that is being used to make communities safer, make them more resilient. We have an administration that just continues to attack our economy and our people.”
Moore’s remarks came as state agencies face uncertainty over delayed federal payments for transportation, housing, and environmental infrastructure programs. The flood mitigation tunnel in question is part of Maryland’s broader climate resilience strategy, a response to devastating floods that have repeatedly hit Ellicott City and surrounding areas in recent years.
Federal grant freezes have begun to strain project timelines and increase costs, according to state budget officials. The Maryland Department of Transportation and Department of the Environment are among the agencies monitoring possible construction delays if the shutdown continues into November.
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, Sen. Chris Van Hollen joined the criticism, arguing that the administration’s selective freezing of funds violates constitutional and budgetary law.
“It is simply illegal for the president of the United States to look at that budget and say he’s going to cherry pick the parts he likes and implement those, and discard the parts he doesn’t like,” Van Hollen said on the Senate floor. “But this president is trying to do that — is doing it right now, as we speak.”
Van Hollen said the funding decisions risk undermining bipartisan infrastructure investments that had already been approved by Congress, including climate adaptation and community safety projects in Maryland and beyond.
The shutdown, which began over disputes tied to healthcare spending and social program funding, has now disrupted thousands of federal and state operations, from small business loans to SNAP benefits for low-income families.
(Related: Marylanders face food insecurity as shutdown threatens SNAP benefits.)
Republicans, however, place blame squarely on Democrats, accusing them of blocking spending bills needed to reopen the government.
“House Republicans have already done their job,” said Congressman Andy Harris, Maryland’s sole Republican representative. “The only thing standing between America and a reopened government is a handful of Senate Democrats too afraid of their activist base to do the right thing.”
The partisan divide shows no sign of easing as the shutdown continues to ripple through construction, transportation, and infrastructure sectors nationwide. Contractors warn that prolonged funding gaps could delay bidding, halt ongoing projects, and increase costs for state governments forced to temporarily cover federal shortfalls.
For Maryland, where billions in federal infrastructure dollars are tied to climate resilience, highway repair, and public transit, the uncertainty is particularly concerning.
Gov. Moore has pledged to continue advancing state-funded components of critical projects to protect jobs and keep construction activity moving, even as federal support remains uncertain.
As he put it, “Marylanders shouldn’t have to pay the price for Washington’s dysfunction.”
Originally reported by Robert Lang, WBAL in WBAL.
.webp)
