WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both Maine Republicans, announced $60,000 in federal funding to the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments in Auburn.

Awarded by the Economic Development Administration, the federal grant will support the continuation and implementation of the economic development planning program in Androscoggin Valley.

The funding is aimed at fostering the creation of private-sector wealth and assisting in the reduction of poverty within the region.

“Arriving at a time when economic development efforts of communities within Androscoggin Valley are gaining momentum, this funding is critical to reinforcing the recovery of the region,” Snowe and Collins said in a joint statement.

The Economic Development Administration is under the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments provides an array of planning services and support for municipal officials, assisting member communities with the development and execution of local strategies.