WASHINGTON, D.C. — Millions of dollars are poised to flow into the Midcoast’s three counties of Knox, Waldo and Lincoln counties through the omnibus funding package that recently passed the House and the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

Below is a rundown of funded projects that will serve the residents of the PenBayPilot.com coverage area of Knox and Waldo counties, plus Waldoboro in Lincoln County. 

Isle au Haut Thoroughfare
Recipient: Army Corps of Engineers
Location: Isle au Haut
Amount: $100,000
Purpose: To begin the Environmental Assessment and related processes to prepare for a maintenance dredging of a 60-year-old federal navigation channel.

George’s River in Thomaston
Recipient: Army Corps of Engineers
Location: Thomaston
Amount: $75,000
Purpose: To conduct a survey of the channel and anchorage of the George’s River to prepare for a maintenance dredge.

Rockland Commercial Fish Pier Redevelopment
Recipient: City of Rockland
Location: Rockland
Amount: $1,500,000
Purpose: To make repairs and resiliency improvements necessary to continue to provide safe and affordable working waterfront access for the region at this municipally-owned facility. The pier needs major deck, structural and electrical work typical of similar facilities at this stage of life, in addition to site stabilization.

Camden – US Route 1 Transportation
Recipient: Maine Department of Transportation
Location: Camden
Amount: $10,000,000
Purpose: To reconstruct a section of US Route 1 to address deficiencies with safety, mobility, pavement structure, drainage, pedestrian access, ADA compliance, and bicycle access. Route 1 is a highly used commuter route for the regional workforce and plays a role in providing a link to the passenger ferry terminals in Lincolnville and Rockland, both vital to the coastal islands.

Midcoast Law Enforcement Equipment Purchasing Program
Recipient: Midcoast Council of Governments
Location: Damariscotta (serving Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo Counties)
Amount: $900,000
Purpose: To create a law enforcement equipment purchasing program for communities across Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo counties. Many smaller communities do not have the resources to request federal funding independently.

Searsport Harbor
Recipient: Army Corps of Engineers
Location: Searsport
Amount: $1,650,000 ($5.85M total; $4.2M was included in the President’s request)
Purpose: Funding to complete maintenance dredging of Searsport Harbor and to maintain the navigation channel.

Belfast Sewer Line Replacements
Recipient: City of Belfast
Location: Belfast
Amount: $1,000,000
Purpose: To replace segments of an aging sewer line in Belfast.

Searsport – US Route 1 Reconstruction
Recipient: Maine Department of Transportation
Location: Searsport
Amount: $9,200,000
Purpose: To reconstruct a section of US Route 1 in the town of Searsport to address deficiencies with safety, mobility, pavement structure, drainage, pedestrian access, ADA compliance, bicycle access, and parking. US Route 1 through Searsport is one of the last remaining sections that are considered “unbuilt” in mid-coast Maine.

Belfast Street Improvements
Recipient: City of Belfast
Location: Belfast
Amount: $972,000
Purpose: To fund street improvements in Belfast.

Vinalhaven Downtown Project
Recipient: Town of Vinalhaven
Location: Vinalhaven
Amount: $1,410,000
Purpose: To support the Vinalhaven Downtown Project and upgrades to stormwater, sewer and wastewater infrastructure on Main Street. The Project seeks to address growing concerns of flooding due to increased precipitation and rising sea levels and proposes to strengthen the future resiliency of the island’s economy.

LincolnHealth community center
Recipient: Town of Waldoboro
Location: Waldoboro
Amount: $1,000,000
Purpose: To support the Town of Waldoboro, in collaboration with LincolnHealth/MaineHealth, in creating a community center and medical facility to improve access in the region.