Collins, King, Golden Announce $5.8 Million in Economic Development and Infrastructure Grants for Maine Communities

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Congressman Jared Golden announced that 11 towns and organizations in Maine will receive a total of $5,800,000 from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) today.

“The Northern Border Regional Commission makes critical investments to improve infrastructure and boost rural Maine communities,” said Senators Collins and King and Congressman Golden. “The NBRC continues to build on its important work with this funding to improve water infrastructure and roadways, expand access to high-speed Internet, and update other vital infrastructure. Combined, these projects will help support small businesses, promote the creation of good-paying jobs, and grow our state’s economy.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

1. Big Rock Mountain in Mars Hill will receive $102,902 to replace a double chairlift to the top of Big Rock Mountain with a modern chairlift and upgrade existing snowmaking infrastructure.
2. Baileyville will receive $1,000,000 to renew existing sewer, storm drain, and water utilities, including a water main, fire hydrants, catch basins, manholes, and portions of services located within the right of way.
3. Bingham will receive $897,000 to replace an existing flooded suction pump station with a new modern engineered pump station.  This facility will be modernized with improved equipment and reliability which will transport sewage flows into the treatment plant.
4. Fort Kent will receive $250,000 to replace deteriorated water mains. This project will provide an improved distribution system presently at high risk of failure. 
5. Isle Au Haut Electric Power Company will receive $300,696 to replace a 40-year-old submarine electric cable with larger, greater capacity submarine cable combined with high-speed broadband fiber optic cable to provide reliable power and high-speed Internet to all households and businesses in the Town of Isle Au Haut.
6. Old Town will receive $274,842 to blend existing green space, park amenities, and recreation infrastructure with a seasonal retail market incubator space, pop up shops, installation of power, improvement of sidewalks and the addition of a crosswalk for safer pedestrian crossing.  This project will complement Four Directions Development Corporation's tourism hub project and allow for the tribal businesses and artisans to participate in the retail space created by the pop-up shops and farmers' market.
7. Houlton will receive $978,880 to remove Houlton International Airport's two underground fuel storage tanks as well as associated pumps, piping, leak detection systems, and electrical wiring.  A new fueling system will be constructed that includes aboveground storage tanks and a fuel management system.
8. Rumford-Mexico Sewerage District (RMSD) will receive $1,000,000 to support a comprehensive upgrade to all unit processes at the main wastewater treatment facility and RMSD's largest pump station.
9. Van Buren will receive $236,737 to enhance truck and rail accessibility and growth to the Ferry/Pierce Street Industrial Park.
10. Weston will receive $57,042 to create a waterfront park along the shores of East Grand Lake, including the construction of a parking area, swimming area, walking trails, hand-carry boat launch and ADA-compliant facilities.
11. West Oxford Agricultural Society will receive $701,901 to replace a water main line, extend the water main distribution lines, and replace the building service lines with 13 new curb stops to eliminate lead and copper service lines within the Fairgrounds.

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The NBRC is a federal-state partnership that was created by Congress in 2008 to help alleviate economic distress and encourage private sector job creation throughout the northern counties of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.

Earlier this year, Senator Collins introduced and Senator King co-sponsored a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the NBRC.  As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins helped to secure a $5 million increase for NBRC programs in the Fiscal Year 2022 Energy and Water funding bill.