Says $19. million critical to protecting the health of Maine families
 
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined Governor Baldacci today to announce that $19.5 million in federal funding will be coming to Maine as part of the Economic Recovery Act passed by Congress and signed by the President earlier this year.  The money will support a revolving loan fund that provides low interest loans for water quality protection projects in communities around Maine.
 
Pingree appeared with Governor Baldacci today at a water treatment facility in Topsham today to announce the funding.  The facility serves Brunswick and Topsham and will receive a $663,000 loan from the revolving fund.  Thirty percent of that loan ($189,000) will be forgiven under a provision authorized the Economic Recovery Act.
 
“Maine communities are struggling,” Pingree said.  “This money is going to help towns and cities make basic repairs and improvements that, in many cases, are long overdue.  These investments will help protect water quality and create jobs in the process.”
 
 “High quality drinking water is critical to protecting the health of Maine families,” Pingree said. “The $19.5 million that Maine is getting now from the stimulus is a good start, but this is a need that has been underfunded for years.  I was proud to be able to support a bill that will continue these investment in clean water for the next five years.”
 
Recently Pingree voted for the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009, which increases funding for Maine’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, administered by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.  (The bill passed the House and has gone on to the Senate.)  This year the Revolving Fund was slated to receive $5.3 million, but the bill Pingree supported would increase that funding to $21.3 million each year from 2010 through 2014.  The $19.5 million announced today is one-time emergency funding authorized by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act passed by Congress and signed by President Obama.

At the news conference this morning, Pingree also announced a $1.73 million grant to Maine as part of the State Clean Diesel Grant program, which is also part of the Recovery Act. The State Department of Environmental Protection will use the money to reduce emissions from a variety of diesel engines and equipments, including school buses and marine engines.