Federal transportation authorities have rejected Maine’s request for $456 million to build a port to support a burgeoning offshore wind power industry in the Gulf of Maine.
Maine’s proposal to fund the Searsport project was absent from a list of 44 grant awards released by the U.S. Department of Transportation through a $4.2 billion infrastructure program.
State Transportation Commissioner Bruce Van Note said in a statement the grant program was extremely competitive and Maine's application was ambitious.
“We believe the result is a reflection of the fiercely competitive nature of this program and that it does not reflect, or undermine, the widely-recognized need for this port, the strong merit of Maine’s plan, or the vast economic and environmental benefits associated with port development,” Van Note said.
The state is still awaiting news on a $15 million federal planning grant for the port development.
This story will be updated.
