Sen. Barbara Mikulski repeated her pledge to help Maryland get a larger share of federal funding to prepare for military growth after she spent Wednesday touring Aberdeen Proving Ground and meeting with Harford County officials.

Mikulski has spent the month touring the state, talking to county officials about how base realignment and closure will affect them and promising that she would work to expand the Impact Aid program, which provides federal funding to schools supporting the families of military populations.

“If we all work together, this county is going to be able to get the benefits of federal funds, as well as the benefits of a new federal work force,” Mikulski said.

Her goal, she said, would be working with other BRAC-affected states to expand the federal Impact Aid program to include communities anticipating military growth such as Harford and Anne Arundel Counties, where BRAC is expected to bring nearly 15,000 new on-base jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Meade.

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The state’s current Impact Aid funding is only about $5.6 million, and Mikulski said she aimed to at least double that — though earlier this month she cited an even more ambitious $25 million goal to Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold.

Harford County Executive David Craig said the county also would be working with Mikulski to get federal assistance with expanding Maryland Route 715, 22 and 40 near the base, and creating a new intermodal transportation center in Aberdeen that could bring together carpoolers, bus services and the MARC commuter trains.

The senator revised comments made by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer earlier this month that Maryland should prepare to shoulder most of the funding for BRAC-related projects, even as she was touting increased federal funding.

Mikulski said Hoyer likely was referring to shrinking “earmarks” for Maryland projects, while she aimed to expand funding determined by formulas and the size of Maryland’s military community. Because Harford is getting the largest share of the state’s military growth, the funding formulas could bring it the largest share of funding for school construction, teacher salaries and technology upgrades, she said.

Harford BRAC Manager Karen Emery said Mikulski met with Aberdeen Proving Ground’s commanders and opened lines of communication with county officials, and will work together with them as the 2011 deadline for the federally mandated base moves draws closer.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com