[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 4, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1908-S1909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Ms. Collins):
  S. 299. A bill to modify the boundaries for a certain empowerment 
zone designation; to the Committee on Finance.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
help reverse the devastating population decline and economic distress 
that has plagued individuals and businesses in Maine's northernmost 
county. Aroostook County. What the bill does is simple, it will bring 
all of Aroostook County under the Empowerment Zone program.
  To fully grasp the importance of this legislation, it is necessary to 
understand the unique situation facing the residents of Aroostook 
County. ``The County'', as it is called by Mainers, is a vast and 
remote region of Maine known for its expansive forest tracts and rugged 
terrain. As the northernmost county, it shares more of its border with 
Canada than its neighboring Maine counties, and has the distinction of 
being the largest county east of the Mississippi River. Its geographic 
isolation is even more acute when considering that the county's 
relatively small population of 76,000 people are scattered throughout 
6,672 square miles of rural countryside. There are 208 townships in 
Aroostook County, however, well over half of the territory remains 
unorganized as forestland or wilderness.
  Anyone traveling in Aroostook County can appreciate what these 
numbers cannot fully convey. Visiting many remote communities in 
Aroostook County by car requires navigating long distances on isolated 
roads, often in wintery conditions. Access by public ground 
transportation is nonexistent, and air travel is accessible only in the 
County's two largest towns, each of which has less than 10,000 people.
  As profound as this geographic isolation may seem, it is the economic 
isolation and out-migration that has had the most devastating impact on 
the region. The economy of northern Maine has a historical dependence 
upon its natural resources, particularly forestry and agriculture. 
While these industries served the region well in previous decades, and 
continue to form the underpinnings of the local economy, many of these 
sectors have experienced decline and can no longer provide the number 
and type of quality jobs that residents need. The decline in the 
region's economy was further punctuated by the closure of Loring Air 
Force Base in Limestone in 1994. The Maine State Planning Office 
estimated that the base closure resulted in the loss of 3,494 jobs 
directly related to the base and another 1,751 in associated industry 
sectors, for a total loss of $106.9 million annual payroll dollars.
  While officials in the region have put forward a Herculian effort to 
redevelop the region, with nearly 1,000 new jobs at the Loring Commerce 
Center alone--Aroostook County is still experiencing a significant 
``job deficit'', and as a result continues to lose population at an 
alarming rate. Since its peak in 1960, northern Maine's population has 
declined by 30 percent to its current level of 76,330. Unfortunately, 
the Main State Planning Offset predicts that Aroostook County will 
continue losing population as more workers leave the area to seek 
opportunities and higher wages in southern Maine and the rest of New 
England.
  In January 2002, a portion of Aroostook County was one of two regions 
that received Empowerment Zone status from the USDA for out-migration. 
The entire county experienced an out-migration of 15 percent from 
86,936 in 1990 to 76,330 in 2000. Moreover, a shocking 40 percent of 15 
to 29-year olds left during the last decade.
  The current zone boundaries were chosen based on the criteria that 
Empowerment Zones be no larger than 1,000 square miles, contain no more 
than 3 non-contiguous parcels, and have no more than three developable 
sites greater than 2,000 acres in aggregate. The lines drawn for the 
Aroostook County Empowerment Zone were considered to be the most 
inclusive and reasonable given the constraints of the program. However, 
some of the most distressed communities that have lost substantial 
population are not in the Empowerment Zone, and economic factors for 
these communities are the same as those areas within the Empowerment 
Zone.
  The legislation I am introducing would provide economic development 
opportunities to all reaches of Aroostook County by extending 
Empowerment Zone status to the entire county. This inclusive approach 
recognizes that the economic decline and population

[[Page S1909]]

out-migration are issues that entire region must confront, and, as 
evidenced by their successful Round III EZ application, they are 
attempting to confront. I believe the challenges faced by Aroostook 
County are significant, but not insurmountable. This legislation would 
make great strides in improving the communities and business in 
northern Maine, and I urge my colleagues to join me to support this 
important bill.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague, 
Senator Olympia Snowe, in introducing legislation that will modify the 
borders of the Aroostook County Empowerment Zone to include the entire 
County so that the benefits of Empowerment Zone designation can be 
fully realized in northern Maine.
  The Department of Agriculture's Empowerment Zone program addresses a 
comprehensive range of community challenges, including many that have 
traditionally received little federal assistance, reflecting the fact 
that rural problems do not come in standardized packages but can vary 
widely from one place to another. The Empowerment Zone program 
represents a long-term partnership between the federal government and 
rural communities, ten years in most cases, so that communities have 
enough time to implement projects to build the capacity to sustain 
their development beyond the term of the partnership. An Empowerment 
Zone designation gives designated regions potential access to millions 
of dollars in federal grants for social services and community 
redevelopment as well as tax and regulatory relief over a ten-year 
period.
  Aroostook County is the largest county east of the Mississippi River. 
Yet, despite the impressive character and work ethic of its citizens, 
the County has fallen on hard times. The 2000 Census indicated a 15 
percent loss in population since 1990. Loring Air Force Base, which was 
closed in 1994, also caused an immediate out-migration of 8,500 people 
and a further out-migration of families and businesses that depended on 
Loring for their customer base.
  Unfair trade practices have also struck a blow to the County's 
economy. Aroostook shares more border miles with Canada than most 
northern states. It is bordered for approximately 280 miles to the 
west, north and east by Canada. Canadian farmers and businesses have 
been extremely competitive in Aroostook business markets; as a result, 
farmers have experienced a loss in sales which has caused a drop in the 
potato acreage planted, additional job loss, and still more people 
migrating from Aroostook County. Aroostook's economic situation has 
been further worsened by the strong value of the Canadian dollar in 
relation to the U.S. dollar and the restrictive personal exemption duty 
limits that Canada imposes on its citizens when they make shopping 
trips to U.S. businesses on the border.
  In response to these developments, the Northern Maine Development 
Commission and other economic development organizations, the private 
business sector, and community leaders in Aroostook have joined forces 
to stabilize, diversity, and grow the area's economy. They have 
attracted some new industries and jobs. As a native of Aroostook 
County, I can attest to the strong community support that will ensure a 
successful partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  Designating this region of the United States as an Empowerment Zone 
is vital to its future economic prosperity. However, the restriction 
that the Empowerment Zone be limited to 1,000 square miles prevents all 
of Aroostook's small rural communities from benefiting from this 
tremendous program. Aroostook covers some 6,672 square miles but has a 
population of only 74,000. Including all of the County in the 
Empowerment Zone will guarantee that parts of the County will not be 
left behind as economic prosperity returns to the area. It does little 
good to have a company move from one community to another within the 
County simply to take advantage of EZ benefits.
  America's greatest success can only be achieved when everyone has the 
opportunity to enjoy the fruits of a strong economy. It is only fair 
that all of Aroostook County's population be given the opportunity to 
fully benefit from the Empowerment Zone Program.
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