SNOWE, COLLINS ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $3 MILLION FOR ESSENTIAL MAINE PROJECTS IN ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) and Susan M. Collins (R-ME) announced that more than $3 million in federal funding for projects in Maine has been included in the Fiscal Year 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations bill as approved by House and Senate conferees. "We are pleased that the conferees have included funding for these important Maine projects. This funding will benefit the ecological health of the coastline and waterways throughout the State," said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement.

Senators Snowe and Collins announced that the Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes funding for the following Maine projects:

• Narraguagus River Maintenance Dredging - $1.8 million This funding will be used to complete the dredging at the Narraguagus River. The Army Corps has completed the dredging of the lower portion of the entrance channel. The Narraguagus River must be dredged in order to maintain its function as a viable navigation channel. The project is vital to the economy of Washington and Hancock Counties. The present channel depth is presenting a hazard to navigation and has forced most of the fishing vessels to relocate to deepwater areas in order to obtain adequate clearance. Without the maintenance dredging, these conditions are expected to become more critical.

• Greenville Composite Biomass Project - $750,000 This funding will increase production and reduce emissions from an existing biomass power plant in Greenville, Maine through an innovative application of current technology. The project would provide significant environmental and economic benefits at the plant, and more importantly, would have potential applicability at hundreds of biomass or fossil-fuel powered facilities around the nation.

• Kennebec River - $630,000 This funding will support Army Corps of Engineers dredging of the Kennebec River to maintain the navigation channel for Navy vessels on their way to and from Bath Iron Works.

• Portland Harbor - $468,000 This funding supports needed dredge work for Portland Harbor. The Army Corps of Engineers has determined that this amount is necessary in order to ensure the continued safety of the Harbor for commercial and recreational vessels. • Carvers Harbor - $243,000 This funding will be used on dredge work for Carvers Harbor. The Army Corps of Engineers has determined that this amount is necessary in order to ensure the continued safety of the Harbor for commercial and recreational vessels.

• Searsport Harbor - $125,000 This funding will be used for general investigations for the Army Corps of Engineers at Searsport Harbor.

• Bass Harbor, Tremont - $86,000 This funding would be used to complete plans and specifications for the channel and anchorage expansion project at Bass Harbor.

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