WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $303,037 to the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The grant, which is funded through THUD, was awarded by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

“Pipelines are a safe and efficient method for transporting the energy needed by homes and businesses in communities across our state,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “By investing in robust oversight to prevent accidents, this grant will help ensure that our environment remains pristine and residents and businesses have access to low-cost energy.”

PHMSA’s State Pipeline Safety Base Grants program supports state pipeline safety programs by reimbursing them a portion of each State's total program expenses for a given calendar year based on their performance. State pipeline safety programs assure public safety through inspecting and enforcing the pipeline safety regulations, conducting incident investigations, and taking corrective actions to assure the safety and integrity of pipelines under their safety authority. State pipeline safety programs currently employ approximately 328 inspectors who are responsible for inspecting over 80 percent of the nation's intrastate transmission and distribution pipelines through certifications and agreements with PHMSA.

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