Golden Delivers $750,000 for University of Maine Sawing Operations Training Facility

WASHINGTON — In a significant win for the next generation of Maine loggers, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) announced today that he has secured $750,000 in dedicated funding as part of the 2023 appropriations government funding package for the University of Maine School of Forest Resources. The funding, which passed the Senate yesterday and is expected to head to the president’s desk for his signature this week, will be used to construct a sawmill operations training facility at the Dwight B. Demeritt Forest, just north of the University of Maine campus.

“This federal funding will expand the sawmill operations facility to serve hundreds of Mainers every year with a new building and equipment,” said Congressman Golden. “As I’ve heard consistently in meetings with loggers across the state, providing quality training on the latest logging technology and equipment is essential for the future of the forest products industry in Maine. I’m proud to partner with the forest products industry and the University of Maine to secure this funding for the next generation of Maine loggers.” 

“By 2030, one-quarter of Maine’s current forest products workforce will reach retirement age,” said Keith Kanoti, manager of the University of Maine Forest. “As this industry innovates for the future through technology and processes that add value to our timber, thefederal funding secured by Rep. Golden with the support of Sens. Collins and King will allow the university to better prepare the next generation of skilled forest resource professionals who are necessary to maintain and grow Maine’s leading role in the global forest economy.”

The new sawmill operations training facility project will provide hands-on workforce development training and professional development of Maine’s forest products industry. The congressman’s funding will help build this new facility where at least 200 students and forest professionals would train each year in support of in-demand industry workforce needs.

Forestry is one of Maine’s oldest and largest industries, contributing over $8 billion and 31,000 jobs to the Maine economy each year. To support this important Maine industry, the University of Maine School of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture runs the oldest continuously accredited professional forestry program in the United States. 

The request on behalf of the University of Maine was one of the congressman’sCommunity Project Funding requests. Congressman Golden was the only member of the delegation whose request for funding was included in the year-end omnibus spending bill.

Golden met with university officials, manufacturing and forest products experts, and students for  a tour of the sawmill site in August. 

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