95 million bond proposal will go to legislature in May photo of capitol by Ramona du Houx

“These public investments will create jobs now and grow good-paying jobs for the future,” said Rep. Peggy Rotundo of Lewiston, the lead House Democrat on the committee. “The state could afford to do even more to create jobs but there was little political will from our Republican colleagues to do so.”

The governor has said he won’t sign any bond proposals if he doesn’t get his proposed changes to the outstanding budget for the Department of Health and Human Services for 2013.

The five separate proposals include $51,000 million for transportation improvements; $7.9 million for water and wastewater treatment; $20 million for research and development grants; and $5 million for the land conservation.

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Democrats say they want a bond package to create jobs now. photo by Ramona du Houx

Democratic state lawmakers on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee expressed strong support for a jobs bond package today following a briefing from fiscal experts on the state’s capacity to bond.

“A jobs bond will give our economy a much needed shot in the arm. We can’t continue delaying job creation,” said Sen. Dawn Hill, of York, who serves on the Appropriations committee. “In the last year, Maine people have seen a continued drain on our jobs and income. Responsible bonding is a sure-fire way to get people back to work immediately.”

Maine has lost more than 1,000 jobs since 2011 and was recently rated 50th for personal income growth according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.Fiscal experts from the Legislature’s Office of Fiscal and Program Review told lawmakers that the state had the capacity to make public investment in a bond package for voters to approve.

“Before I can accept any bond proposal we must address the shortfall in the 2013 budget. Our welfare programs have become unaffordable and structural changes must be considered to reduce out of control spending,” said Gov.Paul LePage in a prepared statement.

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Business leaders are calling for the Maine Legislature’s Appropriations Committee to recommend sending a transportation bond to voters to help reduce the state’s “burgeoning infrastructure deficit.”

The Maine Better Transportation Association, which represents 700 Maine business and transportation leaders statewide, made the plea to legislators today, noting that a strong transportation bond will help reverse years of neglect to state roads, bridges, rail and marine infrastructure.

“We have a great problem in Maine, it’s called an infrastructure deficit and every day we let it continue, we put our businesses and families at risk,” said MBTA President Randy Mace. “It is not fair to leave this kind of debt to our children and grandchildren. Our citizens desperately need the jobs that a transportation bond will provide.”

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ORPC's tidal turbine prototype on display in Portland. Photo by Ramona du Houx

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has determined the contract terms and directed three utilities to negotiate with Ocean Renewable Power Co.(ORPC) to put the company’s tidal power electricity onto the grid this summer. The company’s all-composite tidal turbines will be the first tidal project to be connected to the grid in Maine. The composite technology was developed in partnership with the University of Maine.

“This is the first long-term power purchase agreement for tidal energy in the United States,” said ORPC CEO Chris Sauer . He says the contract will cover a term of 20 years.

ORPC intends to install its first underwater turbine unit this summer in Cobscook Bay off Eastport. The first turbine unit will be capable powering 20 to 25 homes.

ORPC plans to install its full-scale tidal turbine unit at the same location over the next two years powering up more than 1,000 homes by 2016.

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists found that current U. S. Department of Agriculture policy is encouraging large-scale farming at the expense of smaller, diversified farmers who raise a variety of crops and animals. The report, “Ensuring the Harvest: Crop Insurance and Credit for a Healthy Farm and Food Future,” recommends a number of reforms that are included in a bill written by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. The release of the report today comes as the Senate Agriculture Committee is taking up a new farm bill to set the nation’s food policy.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) will provide the City of Auburn and the Auburn Business Development Corp. $1.7 million for the construction of infrastructure necessary for the development of a new 119 acre technology focused industrial park. The City of Auburn projects that the new industrial park could create approximately 200 new jobs and attract $10 million in private investment.

“This EDA award is an investment in Auburn’s future,” said Congressman Mike Michaud, whose Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development oversees the EDA. “The city has one of the busiest ports in Maine and is an attractive place for businesses to locate. The construction of this infrastructure will create jobs immediately, but it’s the potential for future development that will really position the area for major growth. This is an exciting time for the region, and I look forward to following this project’s progress.”

Last year, 145 Republicans and 160 Democrats supported an amendment offered by Michaud to H.R.1 to restore funding for the EDA agency.

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Maine's electic customers can now choose alternative energy sources as their suppliers. graphic by Ramona du Houx

Today, the Maine Public Utilities Commission and 3Degrees, a leading renewable energy provider, announced Maine Green Power, a new, statewide green power program. This voluntary program gives Mainers the opportunity to purchase locally produced renewable energy.

“Maine has abundant hydro, wind, biomass and other renewable energy resources,” said Commission Chairman Thomas Welch. “Maine Green Power will enable our state’s residents and businesses to encourage further local development of these resources by choosing to power their homes and businesses with renewable energy generated in Maine.”

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In an article entitled “U.S. Outgunned in Hacker War” published on March 28, 2012, the Journal cited Shawn Henry, FBI Executive Assistant Director, who said, “The current public and private approach to fending off hackers is ‘unsustainable.’ Computer criminals are simply too talented and defensive measures too weak to stop them.”

With hackers growing more sophisticated every day, basic firewall protection and anti-virus software are quickly becoming antiquated and ineffective. In fact, less than 12% of the targeted malware collected was caught by anti-virus software in 2011, according to the Trustwave 2012 Global Security Report. As a result, the corporate network is increasingly exposed to malware, Trojans, advanced persistent threats, fake anti-virus software and other attacks that have the potential to lead to a data breach, network disruption, compromise of sensitive data and/or theft.

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Moose crossing a road at one of First Wind's Maine wind farm sites

First Wind announced that it has obtained $76 million in construction financing for its 34 megawatt (MW) Bull Hill Wind project in Hancock County, Maine. With financing in place, First Wind will start major construction activities on the project, which will have the capacity to generate enough clean energy to power about 18,000 homes.

“We are excited to complete the financing and start construction of the Bull Hill Wind project, which will be our fifth wind project in Maine to achieve commercial operations,” said Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind. “We appreciate the commitment of our financial partners, and we are grateful for the support the project has received from the businesses, citizens and political leadership of Hancock County along with our project partners across the state and the region. The Bull Hill Wind project will expand our capacity to generate clean, renewable energy in Maine to nearly 220 megawatts, and we are proud to boost the local economy during the construction as well as through the ongoing operations of the project.”

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There is a bank that has supported over $255 million in export sales from Maine businesses over the last 5 years, but it’s in danger of exhausting its lending authority at the end of May. It doesn’t need to be bailed out to continue to help Maine and our nation export products and create jobs. It simply needs Congress to pass a bill to reauthorize its authority.

And the kicker? It doesn’t cost the taxpayer a dime – it’s self sustaining based on fees it collects and loan repayments. In fact, the bank actually makes money for U.S. taxpayers and has returned $4.9 billion to the U.S. Treasury since 1990.

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