Press Releases

Federal investments will help create 212 total jobs

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced two federal grants worth nearly $1.3 million to support municipal broadband in Sanford and manufacturing expansion at Brunswick Landing.
 
“Technology-driven businesses have emerged as an incredible opportunity to create jobs in Maine and move our state’s economy forward. But we need to update our infrastructure to foster innovation and assist entrepreneurs,” said Pingree. “These investments from the Economic Development Administration will make needed improvements to create and support good-paying jobs.  For Sanford, a municipal broadband network will aid the cutting-edge businesses that are already there while helping to attract more.  Brunswick Landing will be able to make a number of improvements to the former naval base to expand the manufacturing cluster that is thriving there.”
 
Full amounts and summaries provided by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) are below.
 
City of Sanford
·      EDA Investment Amount: $769,209
·      Total Project Cost: $1,538,418
·      Anticipated Impact/Outcome: 142 jobs created and $1.1 million in private investment leveraged
·      Description:  This EDA investment will support the construction of an open access non-discriminatory municipal fiber optic network that will serve the downtown Mill Yard complex, a 600-acre industrial park, and more than 80 institutions including a hospital which are not currently served with broadband infrastructure.  The project will support entrepreneurship within the complex and improves the City of Sanford’s commercial and industrial competitiveness.
 
Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (Brunswick Landing)
 
·      EDA Investment Amount: $517,000
·      Total Project Cost: $1,034,000
·      Anticipated Impact/Outcome: 70 jobs created and $1.3 million leveraged in private investment.
·      Description:  This EDA planning investment funds the installation of multiple infrastructure, including cranes, ventilation, gas delivery systems, and other improvements, to Building 86 of the former Naval Air Station Brunswick to support expansion of existing manufacturing clusters in the Cumberland County region.  This project supports the economic development plan for Brunswick Landing, which is to convert former military facilities for civilian use to grow specific high-tech industry clusters that will promote economic development and job growth in the region still impacted by the closing of both Naval Air Station Brunswick and the Loring Air Force Base.