WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ office announced Maine’s share of the $468.7 billion 2024 appropriations package passed by the U.S. Senate on Friday night and signed into law by President Joe Biden on Saturday.

The six-bill package, passed by a vote of 75-22, brings $426.6 million to the state. The bulk of it comes from a transportation, housing and urban development bill; an interior, environment and related agencies bill; and a commerce, justice and science bill. The THUD bill, along with military construction and veterans affairs and agriculture bills, passed the Senate in November, 82 to 15.

Collins, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and one of the lead budget negotiators, secured some $75.4 million for various road and housing projects and social programs in the Oxford, Franklin and Androscoggin counties area with some transportation initiatives reaching into other regions.

Road projects include a large swath of Route 27 from Eustis to Wiscasset and a Western Maine Transportation Services workforce project also affecting Cumberland and Somerset counties. Economic development projects include Lewiston’s Simard-Payne Memorial Park and Auburn’s Riverwalk, Norway’s downtown revitalization and Black Mountain of Maine in Rumford. Oxford County Jail will also receive funds focusing on upgrades for battling contraband issues.

Other notable projects receiving federal funds this year include water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades or repairs in Franklin and Androscoggin counties’ towns along Route 4 and housing initiatives and road projects in all three counties.

ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS RECEIVE $126 MILLION

Maine Department of Transportation received $126 million for 15 road projects, including $41.8 million to rehabilitate much of the Route 27 corridor. Some $13 million of that will go toward the Eustis to Farmington stretch, $14.4 million for New Sharon to Belgrade and $14.4 million for Augusta to Wiscasset.

Over $5.1 million is earmarked for a Western Maine Transportation Services Workforce Transit Project for transit vehicles and infrastructure for regional transportation in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Oxford and Somerset counties.

Other rehabilitation funds include $15.75 million for the Llewellyn Estes Bridge replacement in Old Town; $10.4 million in Route 161 reconstruction at Cross Lake Township; $9 million for U.S. Route 1A in Washington County; $9 million for routes 11 and 157 in Penobscot County; and $8 million for Route 161 reconstruction in Fort Kent.

Also included are $8 million for the Saint George River Bridge replacement in Union; $6 million for Route 109 in Acton; $3.5 million in intersection improvements on Route 22 in Buxton; and $2.4 million for pedestrian improvements on Main Street in Orono. Additionally, Bath will receive $2.8 million in U.S. Route 1 reconstruction at State Road and $1 million for transportation studies.

OVER $40.4 MILLION IN WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Towns, districts and school districts receiving funds toward infrastructure upgrades and repairs include $7 million for Livermore Falls to upgrade its wastewater treatment facility, which also serves Jay; $600,000 for Maine School Administrative District 52, which serves Turner, Leeds and Greene; $1.5 million for Rumford-Mexico Sewerage District; and $2 million for Mechanic Falls Sanitary District.

Other areas receiving funds for water and wastewater infrastructure include Wiscasset, $5 million; Hartland, $5 million; Winslow, $3 million; Presque Isle, $2.43 million; Ogunquit, $2 million; Castine, $1.76 million; Houlton, $1.76 million; Corinna, $1.64 million; Fort Fairfield, $1.59 million; Baileyville, $1.5 million; Winterport, $1.5 million; Southwest Harbor, $1 million; Lubec, $1 million; and Eastport, $148,000.

MORE THAN $28 MILLION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Over a dozen community and economic development projects throughout the state are set to receive over $28 million combined. Lewiston’s Simard-Payne Memorial Park improvements and Auburn’s Riverwalk expansion will receive $3.9 million each, Norway’s downtown revitalization is getting $1.79 million for a building restoration project and Black Mountain of Maine in Rumford’s infrastructure improvements will get $775,000.

Other projects throughout the state include $3.81 million for Black Bear Parkway in Old Town; $3.5 million for Lincoln Technology Park in Lincoln; $3 million to Skowhegan for a multiuse facility; $2 million for the Portland Museum of Art Cultural Center; $2 million for Madawaska’s former downtown business plaza; $1.56 million to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay for its conservatory and discovery center; $1.15 million for BigRock Mountain in Mars Hill; $475,000 to the Maine Appalachian Trail Club for a maintenance facility in Skowhegan; and $448,000 for renovations to Snow Pond Center for the Arts in Sidney.

HOUSING INITIATIVES TO RECEIVE $18 MILLION

Over $18 million will go toward Maine housing projects in nine regions including Community Concepts Inc. based in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. More than $3.7 million is to go toward renovating 12 of the organization’s low-income rental properties. Workforce Housing Coalition Western Maine Mountains will be able to put $1.5 million toward a new affordable multifamily building. SKILLS Inc. of Waterville will receive $1.54 million through Quarry Road Assisted Housing Renovation to construct affordable housing for disabled people.

Emergency housing funding includes $1.5 million for Tedford Housing in Brunswick to construct a 64-bed emergency facility and $2 million to Preble Street in Portland for a new facility consolidating a daytime and nighttime teen center and shelter into one building.

Bath Housing Development Corp. will receive $4 million toward creating new low- and moderate-income housing; the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township is getting  $2 million for a project to upgrade heating and cooling, insulation, mold remediation and windows, doors and siding replacements; St. Croix Apartments in Calais is to get $1.2 million for returning 26 units to service for low-income seniors; and the town of Stonington receives $549,000 for low- and moderate-income housing.

NEARLY $10.9 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY CENTERS

Seven community center initiatives will receive almost $10.9 million including Lewiston’s Trinity Jubilee Center and Tree Street Youth, which will receive $2 million and $1 million, respectively.

United Way of the Tri-Valley Area will receive nearly $1.68 million toward Livermore Falls- and Jay-based renovations to child care programs and expanded services. Woodfords Family Services, a Manchester-based hub supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will receive $2 million. Preble Street in Portland will receive an additional $2 million for the new teen center and shelter consolidation.

Fair Tide in Kittery will receive $1 million for a social service agencies hub and Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness in Bangor will receive $1.2 million for a multipurpose youth and cultural center.

OVER $7.8 MILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDS

Oxford County Jail was one of seven departments or initiatives to receive funds for equipment or communications upgrades. The jail will receive $174,000 in contraband prevention equipment.

Also receiving funds are Portland, with $372,000 in equipment replacement for the Portland Police Department Hazardous Devices Team and $317,000 for a new harbor patrol boat for the city; Piscataquis County, getting $4.18 million to replace aging communications equipment; York County law enforcement and first responder agencies to get $1.8 million; Belfast Police Department communications to receive  $963,000 for dispatch and other equipment supporting public safety and criminal investigations; and Houlton Police Department getting $57,000.

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