Did you know…?
Planning Assistance in Action
by Kristen E. Humphrey, MLA, Local Assistance and Training Planner
The Intergovernmental Monitor (Monitor) is a resource provided by the Maryland State Clearinghouse for Intergovernmental Assistance (Clearinghouse), a unit within the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP). The primary mission of the Clearinghouse is to ensure that state and federally supported assistance projects (both financial and non-financial) operating within Maryland are consistent with state and local policies and programs. Projects subject to review and consistency determination include those proposed by governmental agencies, as well as private or non-profit entities.
To accomplish this, notifications on requests for financial assistance, plans, and development projects are submitted to the Clearinghouse. MDP then circulates them to the appropriate state, regional, and local public officials for intergovernmental review and comment. An online database published by the Clearinghouse, the Intergovernmental Monitor lists every project and proposal received by the Clearinghouse undergoing review (a screenshot of the Monitor can be see in Figure 1, below). The Monitor is an effective way to provide public access to projects happening within their jurisdictions or around the state.
In addition to requests for federal or state financial assistance through programs such as Community Development Block Grants – a federally funded program that is managed by individual state governments – the Monitor lists other types of plans, proposals, projects, and requests for assistance, primarily:
- Federal plans and direct federal development activities
- State real property projects
- Projects falling under the purview of NEPA or MEPA (i.e., National and Maryland Environmental Policy Acts, respectively).[1]
Types of non-financial projects cover a range of projects, including: those located on, or changing the use of, state-owned real property; easements through state property; declarations of excess needs (i.e., a process for requesting return or disposal of unused state property); and facility plans, school sites, senior centers, and many more. Specific projects can be located using the available search feature:
Additionally, detailed records for a project can be accessed by clicking on the “Get File” hyperlink located in the Documents Column to the far right of the screen.
In the screenshot above (Figure 2), a Program Open Space project is circled, and an arrow indicates where related application documents can be accessed. For the Odenton Community Park Project – Phase Two, one can view the application in its entirety including maps and diagrams for the project (as seen in Figure 3, right).
While neither the Clearinghouse nor MDP awards grants or any other financial assistance, to access information regarding all state financial and technical assistance opportunities, interested parties should visit the state’s InfoPortal, a digital catalog of state assistance programs (as shown in Figure 4, below.
Finally, the Clearinghouse XFeed (formerly Twitter) also provides information on state, federal, and private assistance opportunities and is updated weekly.
For more information about the Maryland State Clearinghouse or the Intergovernmental Monitor, including directions on how to submit a project for intergovernmental review, and a description of the legislative and regulatory origins of these review services, visit MDP’s website, or contact Clearinghouse staff by email at mdp.clearinghouse@maryland.gov.
[1] MEPA requires state agencies to prepare EAF and/or EER forms (i.e., Environmental Assessment Forms or Environmental Effects Report) on “each proposed state action significantly affecting the quality of the environment.” A “proposed state action” is narrowly defined to include “requests for legislative appropriations and other legislative actions.” MDP’s role is limited to requiring EAF/EER forms to be submitted to the Clearinghouse for intergovernmental review.
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