A proposed high-performance computing hub, led by the Central Maine Growth Council, has been awarded $6.2 million in congressionally directed spending.
The latest funds would support Maine’s lobster industry by improving research related to the endangered species. The federal government has been investing in the development of technologies to improve fishing gear and population monitoring.
A $1 million appropriation will fund the American Lobster Settlement Index Maine Collector Survey, which would support staffing, equipment and supplies to better track juvenile lobster populations in the Gulf of Maine.
The Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee is steering policy to facilitate housing development to meet the need now as well as for the coming years.
The Small Business Administration is offering loans of up to $2 million to some small businesses and nonprofits that experienced weather-related financial losses last May.
The Maine Office of Community Affairs offers a "single place to navigate state programs that support revitalization, housing, broadband, resilience and community development,” said one town manager.
If passed, the legislation would boost funding for soil and water testing, monitor PFAS levels in individuals’ blood, and upgrade equipment to help farmers stay profitable.