(Boston, Mass. Aug
(Boston, Mass. – Aug. 30, 2011) –
A team of senior environmental officials from federal and state
agencies today highlighted coordinated work that is resulting in
the Greater Limestone Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility
achieving significant environmental and economic benefits for
Aroostook County.
With approximately $9.3 million of funding from
the federal Recovery Act, allocated by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, USDA Rural Development and the Maine Department
of Environmental Protection, the Limestone Water and Sewer District
has completed a major $21 million upgrade effort at the former
Loring wastewater facility and effluent pump station. The project
has closed the former Limestone wastewater facility. The Loring
facility has been renamed to the "Greater Limestone Regional
Wastewater Treatment Facility" and is owned and operated by the
Limestone Water and Sewer District.
In addition to substantial environmental
benefits from the upgraded facility, the project has put in place
the infrastructure integral to attracting new industries and
investment to the Loring Commerce Center, a 3800-acre commercial,
industrial and aviation park in Limestone where the upgraded
treatment facility is located. The ongoing 16-month construction
project has already created nearly 300 jobs and the Loring
Development Authority, which manages the commerce center, expects
hundreds of permanent jobs to be created now that wet industry
– such as potato processing plants – can utilize the
business park, which currently is home to 20 businesses and 1300
employees.
This project is part of a larger $21 million
project that regionalizes two aging wastewater treatment facilities
(Loring and Limestone) into one newly upgraded facility at Loring,
and in the process will provide significant environmental and
economic benefits to the local area. The larger project will
eliminate the current wastewater treatment facilities’
outfall discharges to two low-flow waterbodies, Limestone Stream
and the Little Madawaska River, as well as an emergency bypass to
Greenlaw Brook. The treated effluent from the newly combined
facilities will be conveyed through the upgraded effluent pump
station and a newly installed outfall pipe 18,000 feet further to
the Aroostook River.
Funding for the project has come from a $11.3
million loan and grant from USDA Rural Development, $5.3 million
Maine DEP grant, and over $4 million from US EPA (which includes
low-interest loans and loan forgiveness).
In part, EPA funds provided over $1 million for
improvements to sludge dewatering and sludge digestion, energy
efficiency improvements to the administration and process control
buildings, new effluent pumps and associated instrumentation and
electrical upgrades, an addition to the pump station building and
construction of a new generator building with a new photovoltaic
electrical system.
The plant’s upgrades include energy
efficient pumps, motors, controls, building improvements and
photovoltaic panels. EPA estimates that the energy-efficiency
upgrades to the plant will provide water and electrical efficiency
savings in approximately $2,000 - $3,000 per year in electrical,
heating, laboratory testing and chemical costs for the
District.
“EPA is very proud of the work done here
to upgrade Limestone’s wastewater treatment facility. This is
a great example of how a well-coordinated partnership of federal
and state efforts is helping local communities all across Maine and
New England to position themselves for robust economic growth with
stable and sustainable infrastructure,” said Curt Spalding,
regional administrator of EPA’s New England
office.
“The Greater Limestone Regional Wastewater
Treatment Facility is proof positive that the right thing to do for
our health and our environment is also the right thing to do for
our economy,” said Maine Department of Environmental
Protection Acting Commissioner Pattie Aho. “This project
protects public health, improves the water quality of sensitive
area streams and puts in place the infrastructure integral to
attracting the industries and investment of Aroostook
County’s thriving tomorrow.”
USDA Rural Development State Director Virginia
Manuel said, “I am pleased that USDA Rural Development has
been a key contributor in this project, having provided $11.35
million of the nearly $20 million project cost to assist in the
implementation of the wastewater infrastructure necessary to
support businesses and job creation in Limestone and Loring as well
as ensure that the Little Madawaska Stream remains a viable source
for trout fishing.”
EPA’s top official for all New England
states, Curt Spalding, visited the Limestone facility as part of a
three-day tour to Aroostook County to view first-hand projects that
are boosting the local economy, creating jobs and helping Northern
Maine and its population.
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