The Honorable Susan Collins The Honorable Angus K. King 413 Dirksen Senate Office Building 133 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Chellie Pingree The Honorable Jared Golden 2162 Rayburn House Office Building 1222 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
June 24, 2021
Dear Senator Collins, Senator King, Congresswoman Pingree, and Congressman Golden:
We, the 73 undersigned businesses, organizations, and municipalities, support the proposed federal infrastructure investment plan that would provide substantial benefits for Maine people, our economy, and environment.
The American Jobs Plan would create new good-paying jobs, repair aging infrastructure, reduce pollution that harms our health, and expand clean energy development—with focused investment in rural and underserved communities. The benefits from this infrastructure plan would be transformational, giving Maine the chance to recover from the pandemic stronger while providing dividends for decades to come.
- Provide Long-Lasting Benefits to Maine People and Communities: This infrastructure plan would help eliminate lead in drinking water pipes, bring high speed broadband internet to rural Maine, lower energy costs for homeowners and businesses, repair roads and bridges, improve public transit options, expand the affordability of electric cars and trucks, promote energy independence and electrical grid reliability, clean up Maine’s rivers, lakes, and ocean waters, redevelop contaminated sites, protect and restore nature-based infrastructure, and much more.
- Address Longstanding Underinvestment in Aging Infrastructure: Maine has the sixth worst bridge infrastructure in the nation, ranks 43rd in the nation in statewide broadband access, spends less on public transit per capita than 37 other states, has some of the oldest housing stock in the country, and is estimated to dump half a billion gallons of raw sewage into our rivers and oceans annually due to persistent sewage overflow events. The need to invest in our aging infrastructure is great. This plan provides an historic opportunity to do just that while creating good jobs and improving the lives and livelihoods of Maine people statewide.
As Mainers representing a wide range of interests, we urge you to support a federal infrastructure investment plan to create a better future for Maine by creating new jobs, supporting our economy, making our communities healthier, and putting Maine on track to meet our climate goals.
Sincerely,
Agilitas Energy
Jeffrey Perry, Vice President
Statewide
Aroostook Partnership
Paul Towle, President
Caribou, ME
Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce
Jessie Perkins, Executive Director
Bethel, ME
Bicycle Coalition of Maine
Jean Sideris, Executive Director
Portland, ME
Biomass Power Association
Carrie Annand, Executive Director
Portland, ME
Broadturn Farm
Stacy Brenner, Co-owner
Scarborough, ME
City of Presque Isle
Galen Weibley, Director of Economic Development
Presque Isle, ME
Cleantech Adoption LLC
Jim Walker, Founder and Principal
Yarmouth, ME
Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
Laura Buxbaum, SVP
Brunswick, ME
Defend Our Health
Sarah Woodbury, State Advocacy Director
Portland, ME
Dirigo Solar, LLC
Robert Cleaves, Co-Founder
Portland, ME
Dooryard Farm
Cooper Funk, Owner
Camden, ME
Educate Maine
Jason Judd, Executive Director
Portland, ME
EnergyWise, LLC
James Beaulieu, Owner
Falmouth, ME
Fork Food Lab
Bill Seretta, Executive Director
Portland, ME
Gateway Community Services of Maine
Safiya Khalid, Program Manager
Lewiston, ME
GrandyOats
Aaron Anker, Owner/CEO
Hiram, ME
Greater Portland Landmarks
Sarah Hansen, Executive Director
Portland, ME
GrowSmart Maine
Nancy E Smith, Executive Director
Augusta, ME
Katahdin Analytical Services
Michael Flanders, President
Scarborough, ME
Lake Stewards of Maine
Roberta Hill, Ecologist
Auburn, ME
Lamey-Wellehan
Jim Wellehan, Chairman
Auburn, ME
Larkspur Design, LLC
Seana Cullinan, Owner
Portland, ME
Leaf & Caul Farm
Cassie Seawell, Co-owner
Washington, ME
Love Point Oysters
Ben Hamilton, Co-owner
Harpswell, ME
Maine Affordable Housing Coalition
Greg Payne, Director
Portland, ME
Maine AFL-CIO
Adam Goode, Legislative and Political Director
Augusta, ME
Maine Alliance for Smart Growth
Nancy E Smith, Program Lead
Augusta, ME
Maine Association for the Education of Young Children
Tara Williams, Executive Director
Augusta, ME
Maine Association of Planners
Jared Woolston, Executive Board
Augusta, ME
Maine Broadband Coalition
Andrew Butcher, Executive Director
Statewide
Maine Children’s Alliance
Stephanie Eglinton, Executive Director
Augusta, ME
Maine Community Action Partnership Megan Hannan, Executive Director
Statewide
On behalf of:
Aroostook County Action Program
Community Concepts, Inc
Downeast Community Partners
Kennebec Valley Community Action
Program
Penquis Community Action Program
The Opportunity Alliance
Waldo Community Action Partners
Western Maine Community Action
York County Community Action Corp
Maine Community College System
David Daigler, President
Statewide
Maine Conservation Voters
Maureen Drouin, Executive Director
Augusta, ME
Maine Council on Aging
Jess Maurer, Executive Director
Brunswick, ME
Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition
Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director
Portland, ME
Maine Preservation
Tara Kelly, Executive Director
Yarmouth, ME
Maine Public Health Association
Rebecca Boulos, Executive Director
Portland, ME
Maine Renewable Energy Association
Jeremy Payne, Executive Director
Augusta, ME
Maine Water Utlities Association
Bruce Berger, Executive Director
Augusta, ME
Mook Sea Farms, Inc.
Bill Mook, President
Walpole, ME
MSEA-SEIU Local 1989
Jonathan Brown, Political Organizer
Augusta, ME
National Digital Equity Center
Susan Corbett, Director
Machias, ME
Networkmaine
Jeff Letourneau, Executive Director
Orono, ME
New England Battery Storage, LLC Jeffrey Perry, President
Statewide
Northern Maine Development Commission Robert Clark, Executive Director
Caribou, ME
Osher Environment Systems
Laurie Osher, President
Orono, ME
passivhausMAINE
Naomi C.O. Beal, Executive Director
Freeport, ME
Penobscot Home Performance
Matthew Damon, Owner
Bucksport, ME
Residential Energy Dynamics, LLC
Richard Karg, President
Bethel, ME
ReVision Energy Inc.
Fortunat Mueller, President, Cofounder
South Portland, ME
St. John Valley Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Sharon Boucher, Executive Director
Madawaska, ME
St. John Valley Technology Center
Kevin Lavoie, Director
Frenchville, ME
Stonigton Water Company
William Shepherd, Water Superintendent
Stonington, ME
The Breathable Home
Bo Jespersen, Owner
Augusta, ME
The City of Belfast
Eric Sanders, Mayor
Belfast, ME
Tilson Technology Management
Adam Quinlan, Manager, Broadband Consulting
Portland, ME
Town of Millinocket
Richard Angotti, Interim Town Manager
Millinocket, ME
Unity College
Dr. Melik Pete Khoury, President and CEO
Unity, ME
WaterFurnace
Amanda Steinglass, Sr., Territory Manager
Biddeford, ME
York Sewer District
Timothy H. Haskell, Superintendent
York, ME