Congress Approves $250,000 for Blue Hill Peninsula Community Wildfire Protection Plan Secured by Senator Collins

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured$250,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the development of the Blue Hill Peninsula Community Wildfire Protection Plan in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.  The bill, which was included in legislation that passed the Senate today, now heads to the President to be signed into law.

“Fires can pose a significant threat to rural communities, where many fire departments are a blend of volunteer and professional fire services,” said Senator Collins.  “This funding will help to mitigate the risk of wildfires in Hancock County while helping to ensure rural communities in the region have the tools and resources needed to respond. As Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure this funding, which will help keep Blue Hill and the surrounding regions safe.”

“All nine towns on the Blue Hill Peninsula will benefit from coordinated planning and pilot projects to reduce the risk of wildfire in the face of high heat, drought, strong wind, unpredictable water supply, and trees weakened by insect infestation.  Increased development in our wooded areas underscores the value of investing in public safety and supporting our towns’ interlocal mutual assistance agreements,” said Co-Coordinator of Blue Hill Peninsula Tomorrow Allen Kratz.

This funding will enable nine towns on the Blue Hill Peninsula to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to identify wildfire hazards and recommend strategies to reduce wildfire risk.  The nine towns include Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Deer Isle, Penobscot, Sedgwick, Stonington, and Surry.

In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending.  Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $500 million for hundreds of Maine projects for FY2022 and FY2023.  As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.  

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