The funding will be allocated as follows:
? $5,500,000 - To purchase a new ferry boat for the Casco Bay Island Transit District Ferry line, to provide expanded and more reliable passenger and vehicle ferry service between Portland, and the Peaks, Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long, Chebeague and Cliff Islands, in Casco Bay
? $1,300,000 - To replace aging and unsafe dock fender systems at the Maine State Ferry Service terminals for service between the town of Lincolnville and Isleboro Island in Penobscot Bay.
"Our ferry services are critical components of Maine's transportation system," Senators Snowe and Collins said in a joint statement. "Funding from the Department of Transportation will improve service and safety in Penobscot and Casco Bays."
The Department of Transportation (DOT) aims to improve safety, increase mobility in support of the nation's economy, protect human and natural environment, achieve organizational excellence, and support the national security strategy.