SNOWE, COLLINS ANNOUNCE NEARLY $4 MILLION IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FOR MAINE

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program has awarded $3,960,514 in Rural Business Enterprise loans and grants to organizations throughout the State of Maine.               “We are pleased that, once again, the USDA Rural Development program recognizes the value of these important community projects throughout Maine,” said Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement.  “This funding will help provide vital opportunities for rural Mainers to enhance community services, and health care facilities, and boost economic growth in areas that need it most.”               The funding is distributed as follows:   ·        $1,011,000 loan to the Penobscot Community Health Center to be used to renovate the former Helen Hunt Elementary School in Old Town into a health care facility.  This project is expected to create 8 new jobs. ·        $999,900 loan to the Penobscot Community Health Center to purchase and equip a health care facility located in Hampden.  This project is expected to create 10-15 new jobs. ·        $864,000 loan to Frost Septic Services, LLC; Downeast Consolidated Companies, Inc.; REBL, LLC in Hermon to assist with the acquisition of assets of Downeast Concrete Products, Inc., and associated building addition, additional real property acquisition, debt refinancing, and working capital.  ·        $396,000 grant to the Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation in Bangor to produce television programs and information resources to help rural communities share local economic revitalization practices ·        $391,215 loan to the Ashland Housing Corporation to be used to renovate designated elderly housing to including roofing, replacing windows, renovating the laundry facilities, and addressing accessibility issues. ·        $180,000 grant to the County of Aroostook to be used to update a survey of employers and employees in Aroostook County and integrate new information from the Labor Force Dynamics database maintained by the Maine Department of Labor in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Census. ·        $99,999 grant to the Northern Maine Finance Corp. in Caribou to assist with the purchase of the former MBNA property in Presque Isle and to offer this property to other call center type businesses in order to put the trained workforce back in place as soon as possible. ·        $18,400 grant to the Franco-American Heritage Center at St. Mary’s in Lewiston to assist in preparing a feasibility study and business plan to further the development of small and emerging businesses in the local enterprise community.             The USDA Rural Development program provides financial loans and grants to help improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America.  The funds are used for community programs, which seek to construct or improve community facilities for health care, public safety, and public services.