Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 26-2, provides $38.6 billion in nondefense discretionary funding.
“This legislation would provide important investments in Maine’s public lands, national parks, and tribal programs. It would promote healthy and resilient communities by supporting critical infrastructure that would help to provide clean drinking water and mitigate increasing flood risks,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advance this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
Bill Highlights:
Local Projects: Nearly $68 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine.
Spruce Budworm Treatment: $10 million for the U.S. Forest Service to provide assistance to states for an emerging spruce budworm outbreak approaching the northeastern border. Last year, Senator Collins secured $14 million to help combat the spread of spruce budworm in Maine forests in disaster relief legislation.
Carbon Neutrality of Biomass: Includes a provision that recognizes biomass as carbon neutral across federal agencies.
Brownfields Grants: $25.7 million for the Brownfields Projects Grant, as well as $46.3 million for Brownfields Categorical Grants.
Wild and Scenic Rivers Program: $5.6 million for the Wild and Scenic Rivers Program at the National Park Service, which includes an increase in funding for the York River Wild and Scenic Program, bringing their total to $300,000.
Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF): $2.8 billion for the Clean Water SRF and the Drinking Water SRF.
Community Wood Energy Program: $15 million for the Community Wood Energy Program, a competitive grant program that supports the installation of wood energy systems and wood product manufacturing facilities.
Water System PFAS Support Funding: $116 million for EPA’s Public Water System Supervision categorical grant programs, which provides PFAS cleanup assistance to state drinking water programs.
Staffing at National Wildlife Refuges: $525.5 million and report language directing the Refuge system to fill vacant positions in Maine.
Rural Water Technical Assistance Grant Program: $30.7 million and the continuation of report language directing that funding be awarded competitively.
Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC): $6 million for the NSRC. A collaboration among universities in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, the NSRC sponsors research to sustain the health of northern forest ecosystems and communities, to develop new forest products, improve forest biodiversity management, and to establish a Digital Forestry Systems Research Consortium.
National Estuary Program (NEP): $40 million for the NEP. The Casco Bay Estuary Partnership and Piscataqua Region Estuaries are members of the NEP.
Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program: $6 million for this program, which provides support to tribes, local governments, and qualifying nonprofits for fee purchase of forestlands to convert to community forests.
This funding advanced through the markup of the FY 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate. Committee consideration of legislation is a key part of regular order, which helps our government function efficiently and deliver results for the people of Maine and America.
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