Maine forestry, biomanufacturing projects are in the running for $100M grant prizes
Courtesy / University of Maine
Forestry and biomanufacturing using materials such as wood are the focus areas of two Maine-based initiatives in the running for $100 million in federal money.
Two Maine economic development projects are now strong contenders for federal funding prizes of up to $100 million.
The University of Maine-Forest Opportunity Roadmap/Maine (FOR/Maine) Coalition and Northeastern University’s Coalition — which includes the Portland-based Roux Institute and FocusMaine — were named Tuesday among 60 finalists, out of 529 applicants, for the Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
As finalists, the projects have each been awarded $500,000 in federal funds. The Challenge is funded with $1 billion from the federal government's American Rescue Plan.
The selection came after letters from U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, as well as Gov. Janet Mills.
“In order to strengthen Maine’s competitiveness in the 21st century economy, we must work to both modernize longstanding industries and embrace innovative fresh thinking,” King said in the release.
Pingree said, “Even before the pandemic, Maine’s forest products industry faced tremendous challenges brought on by shifting demand, mill closures and disruptions, unfair trade practices, and the worsening climate crisis."
She added, “All of New England will benefit from Northeastern University’s project. Their multi-state coalition to support biomanufacturing infrastructure will prime New England’s commitment to innovation and science, helping to ensure a brighter future for generations to come.”
UMaine and forestry
The UMaine-led FOR/Maine coalition proposal aims to accelerate the northern forest bioeconomy through innovation, commercialization, workforce and community redevelopment, according to a separate release.
The coalition’s proposal, “Accelerating the Northern Forest Bioeconomy,” calls for the development of a northern forest bioeconomy cluster, representing an opportunity for rural communities hard-hit by the pandemic to build back better, cleaner, and greener, the release said.
The proposal builds upon the Forest Opportunity Roadmap (FOR/Maine) vision and strategic plan for diversifying the state’s wood products businesses and attracting new capital investments for communities affected by recent mill closures.
“Maine loggers fully support this effort to develop, transform and expand our state’s forest economy and remain ready to supply the local wood fiber on which it depends,” said Dana Doran, executive director of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine. “Now is the time to seize the opportunities before us as the most forested state in the nation with some of those most professional logging contractors in the country to build a sustainable future for our rural communities."
Coalition members are a subset of FOR/Maine comprising the UMaine, which is the proposal lead, along with the Maine Development Foundation, Maine Forest Products Council, Four Directions Development Corp., Professional Logging Contractors of Maine, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, Eastern Maine Development Corp., Northern Maine Development Commission, Maine Community College System and Maine Woodland Owners.
“UMaine has a well-established reputation for excellence in forestry and as a leader in the research and development of bio-based materials and their applications,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of UMaine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias. “Maine’s public universities also will play an essential role in developing talent as this sector expands."
From petroleum to bio
To position Maine as globally significant and market competitive in bio-based materials and applications, the coalition is developing a comprehensive approach to assist Maine in pivoting from petroleum-based feedstocks and chemicals to bio-based, renewable products.
This approach includes coordination of cluster activities; engagement of leadership in building welcoming, resilient and sustainable communities; reenergizing and redeveloping industrial sites; preparing Maine’s workforce for the future; strategic investment and market attraction; establishing a forest biomaterials innovation center and a Green Engineering and Materials Laboratory; and stimulating bioproducts supply chains by accelerating public procurement.
“Working hand-in-hand with our partners, our goal is to develop the materials and technologies to drive future value streams for the Maine forest products industry and train our next-generation manufacturing workforce,” said Habib Dagher, the center’s executive director.
“Forests and forest products are at the heart of Maine’s rural communities and economy,” said Stephen Schley, chair of FOR/Maine’s executive committee.
If selected, the coalition’s project is estimated to add nearly $4 billion to the Maine economy, and build workforce pathways to fill an estimated 5,000 direct job openings over the next 15 years.
In 2019, $8.1 billion in economic impact and 31,822 jobs were tied to Maine’s forest products sector — approximately 1 out of every 25 dollars of Maine’s GDP and 1 out of 25 Maine jobs respectively.
Northeastern and biomanufacturing
The coalition led by Boston-based Northeastern University, which includes Portland’s Roux Institute and FocusMaine, would work to connect hubs throughout New England to support a stronger biomanufacturing economy.
The coalition would support existing and new biomanufacturing infrastructure as a pathway to jobs throughout the Northeast. To ensure a new generation of workers can benefit from the region’s biomanufacturing cluster, the coalition proposes a number of steps to help workers without a four-year college degree land stable, high-quality biomanufacturing jobs.
“Our mission at the Roux Institute is to work in close partnership with leading industry, community, and higher education organizations to catalyze economic development throughout Maine, and beyond,” said Chris Mallett, chief administrative officer at the Roux Institute. “This exciting coalition of partners will harness the experience and resources of the entire region to lead the evolution of the robust biomanufacturing and advanced life sciences economy so essential to Maine’s future.”
The award reinforces a pillar of FocusMaine's strategy to accelerate jobs in Maine in the biopharmaceutical sector, said Kimberly Hamilton, president of FocusMaine.
“Maine is strongly positioned to support regional biomanufacturing growth and to benefit from our proximity to research and development centered in Boston and Cambridge,” Hamilton continued. “This means more on-ramps for people in Maine to be a part of this transformational industry and more connections across the region to strengthen innovation and economic opportunity.”
Phased competition
Phase 1 of the challenge invited coalitions to apply for funding to implement a collection of three to eight distinct but related projects in their region. Projects need to be in coordination with industry and community partners, and aligned around a holistic vision to build and scale a strategic industry sector.
EDA received 529 applications from regions in all 50 states and five territories, and the 60 finalists represent regions that formed coalitions, demonstrated regional needs, and presented bold proposals to grow their target industry clusters. Ranging from rural communities and coastal towns to major metros, the finalists make up a diverse cross-section of the United States.
The finalists will now compete in Phase 2, which will award 20 to 30 regional coalitions up to $100 million to implement three to eight projects that support an industry sector. The deadline for Phase 2 is March 15, 2022.
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