Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $13,850,000 to construct seven new fire stations and emergency services facilities throughout Maine. The funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture and Rural Development appropriations bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 22, 2023, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“Firefighters, first responders, and emergency response professionals across Maine courageously and selflessly put their lives on the line to serve our towns and cities,” said Senator Collins. “This funding will help to ensure that Maine’s first responders have the adequate facilities needed to do their jobs as effectively and safely as possible. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to champion this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
Funding secured by Senator Collins for fire stations and emergency services in the FY 2024 Agriculture and Rural Development Appropriations bill is as follows:
- Franklin County Emergency Operations Center
Recipient: Franklin County Commissioner’s Office
Project Location: Farmington, ME
Amount Requested: $2,035,000
Project Purpose: To construct a consolidated facility for county-wide emergency response services.
- Sinclair Fire Station
Recipient: North Lakes Fire & Rescue
Project Location: Sinclair, ME
Amount Requested: $2,250,000
Project Purpose: To construct a new fire station in Sinclair.
- Springfield Fire Station and Municipal Facility
Recipient: Town of Springfield
Project Location: Springfield, ME
Amount Requested: $750,000
Project Purpose: To build a new facility to house the fire station, town office, and warming shelter.
- Hancock Fire Station
Recipient: Town of Hancock
Project Location: Hancock, ME
Amount Requested: $1,567,000
Project Purpose: To construct a new fire station.
- Randolph Fire Station
Recipient: Town of Randolph
Project Location: Randolph, ME
Amount Requested: $2,600,000
Project Purpose: To construct a new fire station.
- Bath Fire and EMS Station
Recipient: City of Bath
Project Location: Bath, ME
Amount Requested: $1,750,000
Project Purpose: To construct a new fire and EMS station.
- Brownfield Public Safety Building
Recipient: Town of Brownfield
Project Location: Brownfield, ME
Amount Requested: $2,898,000
Project Purpose: To construct a new public safety building housing the fire department, the Oxford County Sheriff substation, and emergency operations centers.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $500 million for hundreds of Maine projects for FY2022 and FY2023. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
Original source can be found here.
