WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Maine three grants totaling $124,000 for rural development projects.

“These USDA grants are critical to providing our rural communities with important resources and services that might otherwise have been unaffordable,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “This funding will help support our local economies, foster improved environmental stewardship, and improve the safety of community spaces.”

The recipient and award amounts are as follows:

• Bloomfield Academy in Skowhegan was awarded a $50,000 Economic Impact Initiative grant to install a fire suppression system in the Skowhegan Free Public Library.

• The Region Two School of Applied Technology in Houlton was awarded a $24,000 Economic Impact Initiative grant to convert the school’s heating system from oil to pellets in order support the local forest products industry and reduce its overall carbon footprint.

• The Quoddy Tides Foundation in Eastport was awarded a $50,000 Economic Impact Initiative grant to renovate the Holmes Building in downtown Eastport. The project will create a studio space for local and visiting artists and provide accommodations for those seeking to utilize the community’s cultural and educational services.

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