FEMA Puts Retention Pond Loans on Pause — Ellicott City’s Future at Stake

Ellicott City’s flood recovery efforts just hit another speed bump. Two vital retention pond projects, part of the Safe and Sound Plan designed to prevent disasters like the devastating 2016 and 2018 floods, are on hold. The federal government paused $10 million in low-interest loans while FEMA reassesses their value. Residents are understandably frustrated—these ponds are key to slowing water down before it overwhelms Main Street. Howard County leaders are vowing to push ahead with the rest of the plan, including the major tunnel project underway, but it’s clear the fight to protect the historic town is far from over. Locals like Mark Hemmis, whose restaurant relocated after the floods, remain hopeful. As he puts it, “The town’s been here long before us, and it’ll be here long after.” Ellicott City’s resilience shines through once again.