Maine Delegation, Governor Welcome Secretary Haaland to Maine, Discuss Investments in Outdoor Recreation and Acadia National Park

WINTER HARBOR, ME – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, and Susan Collins, Representatives Chellie Pingree, Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, and Jared Golden, and Governor Janet Mills welcomed U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to Maine. During the Interior Secretary’s visit, the Delegation, the Governor, and the Secretary discussed the importance of investments in our nation’s public lands and outdoor recreation economy, which create and support jobs in communities across Maine, honor our national commitment to protect national parks for the next generation, and advance vital conservation efforts. The group also joined Secretary Haaland, the nation’s first Native American cabinet secretary, at a number of events with Tribal leaders from the Wabanaki Nations to discuss ways to strengthen and support Tribal communities in Maine and across the nation.

Senators King and Collins, Representatives Pingree and Golden, Governor Mills, and Secretary Haaland with NPS staff. Click HERE to download high-quality image.

“We were delighted to welcome Secretary Deb Haaland to Maine today to share a first-hand look at our state’s unparalleled natural treasures,” said the Maine Delegation and Governor Mills. “Maine’s public lands are embedded into our state’s identity, inspiring the love for nature and emphasis on conservation shared by Mainers of all backgrounds. These lands also are important economic drivers for communities across the state. As we see a surge of Americans seeking outdoor recreation opportunities following the COVID-19 pandemic, we stand ready to work with federal, state, and local officials to protect these lands and all they offer for future generations.

“We also were honored to witness a special moment as leaders from the Wabanaki Nations hosted the United States’ first-ever Native American cabinet secretary,” added the Delegation and Governor Mills. “We look forward to continuing our work with federal, state, local, and Tribal leaders in support of Maine’s tribes.”

The group visited a number of locations throughout Acadia National Park to see proposed, ongoing, and completed maintenance projects that will improve visitor experiences. Among the projects discussed during today’s events was the rehabilitation of Schoodic Point’s water and wastewater systems, which will receive $7.6 million in funding through the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. The newly-created fund was established by the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation led by Senator King and cosponsored by Senator Collins and Representatives Pingree and Golden which was signed into law last year.

Maine’s National Park units – Acadia National Park and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument – generated an economic benefit of more than $453 million in 2020.

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