By U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud(D-Maine)
As I write this, the Farm Bill conference report has passed both the House and Senate by veto-proof margins. The Farm Bill itself is far from perfect. But it does contain important things for Maine, like increased assistance for specialty crops, such as Maine blueberries and other specialty crops. It also includes important funding for nutrition and conservation programs, including an increase in food stamp benefits. My bill creating the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) was also included in the final conference report. The NBRC would invest $30 million per year in federal resources in economic development and job creation projects in the most economically distressed areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. The Commission will bring increased investment, leadership, and focus to regional economic development efforts.
The NBRC is modeled after the highly successful Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The funding provided through the commission is extremely flexible so that the needs of our local communities can be met without the bureaucratic restrictions that are found in basically every other federal program. For example, the commission could use its funding to help communities meet the federal matches required of other programs. This provides a high return on investment and will give our region’s communities the financial leverage they need to significantly open up funding opportunities that were previously closed to them due to burdensome matching requirements.
This effective public–private partnership model based on the ARC has enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support because it works, and because it has been a good investment for the American taxpayer. For example, in Fiscal Year 2005, each dollar of ARC funding leveraged $2.57 in other public funding and $8.46 in private funding. According to independent analyses, three-fourths of ARC infrastructure projects with specific business or job-related goals met or exceeded formal projections. The ARC has also reduced the number of distressed counties in its region from 223 to 91, cut the poverty rate in half, and helped 1,400 businesses create 26,000 new jobs since 1977.
The counties that are a part of this commission have a demonstrated need for a regional economic development commission. Each county has poverty above the national average, median household income that is more than $6500 below the national average, persistent unemployment fed by constant layoffs in traditional manufacturing industries, and a population that grew by only 0.6% between 1990 and 2000 — while the U.S. population rose by 13.2 percent — showing significant out-migration and loss of young people.
We have seen a clear and persistent pattern of economic distress in Maine and across the northern border of our region. The loss of manufacturing and natural resource-based industries and aging, crumbling infrastructure is of great concern to all of our communities. Transportation, basic public infrastructure, water and sewer, telecommunications, health care and business development projects can all be funded through this new commission.
Four years ago I authored the bill creating the NBRC because I saw how successful the ARC had been over the years in improving the economies of the counties that it covered. The entire Maine congressional delegation, as well as those from across the region joined me in my efforts.
We know that no single approach can overcome every challenge we face. But by drawing on all of our strengths, and bringing in all of the resources we can muster, we have the capability to create a very bright future for Maine and the entire region. The NBRC can help us get there. Now it is just the president’s signature away from becoming law. This is a great development for our state and our region. I am hopeful that the President will sign the conference report into law.
