Press Releases

Pooling alewives on a tributary of the Presumpscot River. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree welcomes news today that Sappi North America, the City of Westbrook, local organizations, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reached an agreement to remove the Saccarappa Falls Dam in Westbrook as early as 2020. “We’ve seen the incredible results that dam removal a... Read more »

“We’ve been asked to give President-elect Trump the ‘benefit of the doubt,’ but I think this dispels any hope that he would finally distance himself from people who promote hateful, racist scapegoating," Pingree said of President-elect Trump's appointment of Breitbart News chairman Steve Bannon as Chief Strategist. Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following response to Governor Paul LePage’s statement today on student voting in Maine. “It’s very clear here that the Governor is trying to keep college students from turning out to vote in Maine. There are already fliers going around giving students false information about their right to vote here—the Governor should be calling out these lies rather than... Read more »

(Photo courtesy of National Guard via flickr) Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today welcomed news that U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has ordered the Pentagon to stop seeking repayment of enlistment bonuses given to National Guardsmen in California. “Frankly, whether or not they received these bonuses in error, these men and women bravely served their country and don’t deserve to be nickel-and-d... Read more »

Many species of wildlife will benefit from the conserved habitat, including monarch butterfly, American woodcock, and New England cottontail. (Images courtesy USFWS) Congresswoman Chellie Pingree celebrated today’s announcement that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has approved the Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge, meaning that the agency can move forward in conserving 15,000 acre... Read more »

Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree sent a letter urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to move forward and fund critical dredging projects for York Harbor and the Saco River. “Small ports and harbors like York and Saco River are the economic lifeblood for many coastal communities in Maine. In allocating funds that Congress makes available t... Read more »

U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin responded to today’s announcement that the European Commission’s Committee on Invasive Alien Species has decided that they will not proceed with the listing of American lobster as an invasive species at the European Union level. The decision brings an end to the proposal that threatened to end l... Read more »

Today Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Cultivating Community announced two USDA grants to expand initiatives helping refugees and immigrants in Maine launch and strengthen farm businesses. “As Maine’s population ages, the immigrants and refugees who call our state home are becoming increasingly important to our workforce. We especially need new workers and businesses to sustain the great economi... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said this morning that rural Maine communities will benefit from $20 million in USDA loans to provide financing for economic development projects throughout the state. With USDA Rural Development funding, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI) will invest in community projects like health care facilities, childcare centers and schools. "Maine people are hard working, creativ... Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today announced that three communities in her District would receive federal grants to hire or rehire police officers. “Local police departments do a great job keeping our communities safe, but are finding themselves understaffed because of tight municipal budgets,” said Pingree. “I’m glad these federal funds will be able to help fill that critical need.” The COPS Hir... Read more »