More than $8M Invested in Maine’s Community Colleges in Federal Funding Bill

AUGUSTA, ME – More than $8 million in federal funding for Maine’s community colleges was included in the recent federal omnibus funding bill, led by a $2.2 million investment for a new wind turbine safety training program at Northern Maine Community College.

“We deeply appreciate the hard work of the delegation in securing the funds for these important projects,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins were instrumental in securing these investments benefiting Maine’s students, parents, environment, and businesses.

The wind turbine safety training program establishes Northern Maine Community College as the first internationally certified training provider in the wind power industry in the northeastern United States. It builds on the existing wind power training program at the Presque Isle college and will be launched in collaboration with Maine Maritime Academy to serve both land-based and offshore wind industries.

“Maine has an important role to play in the development of renewable energy. This program will help grow Maine’s wind power workforce, which is essential to addressing climate change and developing a clean energy economic force for Maine and beyond,” said Northern Maine Community College President Tim Crowley.

MCCS projects funded in the FY23 Appropriation bill are:

• $2.2M to Northern Maine Community College, for developing a wind turbine safety training program.
• $1.5M to York County Community College, to expand and renovate a welding training facility.
• $1.35M to Eastern Maine Community College, to expand remote health care training programs that provide hands-on and remote training to rural health care students.
• $1M to Southern Maine Community College, to purchase a facility and launch a new certificate program in greenhouse management and horticulture.
• $750K for Southern Maine Community College, to support the college’s new electric vehicle repair certification program.
• $660K for Kennebec Valley Community College, to make repairs on historic buildings on campus and create a student success center.
• $500K for Central Maine Community College, to install solar panels on campus buildings.
• $115K for Northern Maine Community College, to expand enrollment in the early childhood degree program.

Maine’s community colleges are also involved in other congressionally directed spending projects in Maine, including $8M for the University of Maine to create three new manufacturing training centers. Two of the new centers will be located at Southern Maine Community College, one at the college’s Brunswick campus and one at South Portland.

“We couldn’t be happier to partner with the university and Maine Maritime Academy on these critical projects that support the manufacturing and wind power industries in Maine,” Daigler said. “Once again, Senators King and Collins, along with Representative Jared Golden saw and understood how funding will benefit Maine’s students, our heritage industries and the Maine economy.”