Press Releases

Senior House Appropriations Member Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced more than $12 million in federal funding for Bigelow Laboratory in East Boothbay through Community Project Funding (CPF) in the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations bill. One of 15 First District community projects submitted for funding by Pingree totaling $34.5 million, $12,326,000 will support the construction of a new Innovation and Education Wing at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. 

“The global and local impact of our oceans is unparalleled. We need to not only respond to the climate crisis and the threats it brings, but also harness the ocean’s potential to improve the future for all life on Earth. To do that requires science, research, and cutting-edge innovation,” said Pingree. “Bigelow Lab is committed to turning the tide on climate change by fostering innovative, science-driven solutions, and I couldn’t be prouder to help support their mission.”

"Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is honored to be the recipient of this extraordinary Community Project Funding. Not only will it allow us to meet the increased demand for our transformative ocean science education initiatives, but it will also bolster growth in our researchers' innovations addressing global issues,” said Dr. Deborah Bronk, Bigelow Laboratory's president and CEO. "With Congress' support, we are excited to reach new levels of achievement in ocean research and science education to benefit our region, state, and nation."

The new wing will house laboratory space for four additional senior research scientists, increasing scientific productivity and understanding of the foundations of global ocean health. 

The federal funding secured by Pingree will also allow Bigelow Lab to add two additional classrooms and teaching laboratories that will serve high school and undergraduate students across the state of Maine and around the world.

Background

Each year, the United States Congress considers and enacts annual appropriations bills that provide the federal government with the funding it needs to operate. In 2021, the House Appropriations Committee revitalized Community Project Funding after the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress found that congressionally directed spending boosted bipartisanship, facilitated member-to-member cooperation, and gave members an equal stake in the success of appropriations bills.

Pingree secured millions of dollars in federal funding for 10 community projects in Maine’s First District for the 2022 Fiscal Year. 

For the 2023 Fiscal Year, each member was permitted to submit 15 projects for consideration, which had to be thoroughly vetted and publicly disclosed on their website.

Pingree has been a member of the House Appropriations Committee since 2013 and has served as Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies since January 2021. 

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