SENATORS COLLINS, SNOWE ANNOUNCE NEARLY $100,00 IN RURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FUNDING FOR TOWN OF ASHLAND

U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program has granted $99,999 in grant funding to the Town of Ashland.  The funds will be used to assist in the acquisition of equipment to help restart Northeast Pellet, LLC, which closed after a devastating fire in March 2009.  Town officials had pledged to seek state and federal assistance to help rebuild the facility following last year’s fire.  The town will use the grant to purchase equipment and lease it to the company, helping save 22 jobs in Aroostook County. 

“This funding will help save much-needed jobs in Aroostook County, which has been hard hit by the recession,” said Senators Snowe and Collins in a statement.  “We are pleased that USDA Rural Development recognizes the importance of supporting economic opportunity in Maine’s rural communities.” 

The USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant program provides grants to public agencies, private non-profit corporations, or Indian groups for rural projects that finance and facilitate development of small and emerging rural private business enterprises.