SNOWE, COLLINS ANNOUNCE OVER $2 MILLION IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FOR MAINE

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today announced that Maine has been awarded $2,239,962 in rural development grants and loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"This funding will allow Maine communities to make improvements to their critical infrastructure," Snowe and Collins said in a joint statement.

The federal funding was allocated as follows: • $800,000 in loans and $450,000 in grants to Alfred Water District to replace old water tanks and lines. The loan term is for 40 years at 4.500 percent.

• $918,000 in loans to Paradigm Developments, LLC & PROTEA Behavioral Health Services, LLC to restructure real estate debt and provide acquisition of additional real estate.

• $67,500 in grants to the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments to provide waste management education to municipal officials and solid waste professionals.

• $4,462 in grants to John W. Ingraham to assist in making energy-efficient improvements to dairy operations that will decrease energy consumption. ###