LIMESTONE, Maine — When they returned to Augusta on July 20, Maine Senators unanimously approved appropriating funding for the Loring Development Authority to make needed renovations and improvements to attract a new business to the Loring Commerce Centre on the former Air Force base.
The bill, LD 1643 “An Act To Provide Funding to the Loring Development Authority of Maine for Implementation Grants,” will give the LDA $750,000 for this fiscal year and an additional $750,000 next year.
Loring Development Authority President Carl Flora said Friday that the funding will be used for a “variety of things, all related to putting aviation assets back into service,” and that this will include renovating “buildings, pavement, lighting systems, and equipment.”
Flora announced back in June that LDA officials had approved a binding letter of intent with an undisclosed aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul company to start up operations at the commerce center.
As of Friday, Flora said he still was unable to reveal the name of the company, how many people it might employ, or other details related to the project, as the company is still going through a “regulatory process.”
Lawmakers still appear keen on the possibilities, with state Sens. Troy Jackson of Allagash and Mike Carpenter of Houlton, both Democrats, expressed support for the funding measure in a press release issued Thursday..
“The people of Aroostook County are eager to get to work and contribute to their state and its economy, but they need jobs to do it,” Carpenter said. “This bond will create the conditions by which more businesses can open and expand at Loring. It was my honor to help pass this bill.”
Jackson referred to the bill as a “win for northern Maine.”
“For decades, Loring has been a pillar of Aroostook County’s economy,” Jackson said, “and this funding will make sure it stays that way. Getting the airstrip up to federal standards will facilitate the development of new business at the Loring Commerce Centre.”
Flora said he is “obviously very pleased” that the bill passed and that it will “help tremendously to kick start things.” The LDA President said, if the bill did not pass, they would have found a way to continue the project, but it would have “presented different challenges” and affected the speed and timeframe of the agreement.
“This guarantees that we can do an incredible job and get it going in a reasonable timeframe,” Flora said.
