[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12613-12614]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING LYMAN MORSE BOATBUILDING

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize for the 
week of May 13 an outstanding small business from my home State of 
Maine that has not only succeeded in manufacturing a product of great 
quality, but has also made its facilities environmentally friendly and 
energy efficient. Lyman Morse Boatbuilding of Thomaston, ME has 
produced boats for over 100 years. Noted for their expert craftsmanship 
and storied history, Lyman Morse has a proven track record of quality 
and success. In their great spirit of innovation, Lyman Morse will be 
unveiling, on May 26, a ``green''--or energy efficient--boat-building 
facility, and I want to take this opportunity to commend them for this 
fabulous attempt at conservation.

[[Page 12614]]

  Lyman Morse's new ``green'' building is a temperature-controlled 
facility that is designed for the construction and service of large 
yachts. Completed in less than a year, the building is 140 feet long, 
160 feet wide, and stands 55 feet high. What is particularly remarkable 
is that heat generated on the building's roof from the sun can be 
absorbed and used as energy for the building--a truly impressive feat 
in efficiency. While the new ``green'' building will be Lyman Morse's 
largest, it will also be their most energy efficient, proving that 
conservation does not have to hamper effectiveness.
  To construct its new facility, I would like to point out that Lyman 
Morse took advantage of a tax deduction for energy efficient commercial 
buildings Congress enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and 
extended in the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006. Congress should 
heed the example of Lyman Morse, because by incorporating ``green'' 
building practices, we can reduce energy consumption, increase 
profitability--and create more jobs.
  While Lyman Morse Boatbuilding follows in the historic tradition of 
New England boat building, particularly that of Midcoast Maine, I am so 
pleased that it has decided to take advantage of modern technology to 
be environmentally responsible. In fact, Lyman Morse has been a 
terrific corporate citizen for many years. I want to point out that in 
January 2006, the State of Maine declared Lyman Morse Boatbuilding a 
Maine Clean Boatyard and Marina. A program designed to help preserve 
and improve natural resources while reducing pollution, the Maine Clean 
Boatyard and Marinas Program is a partnership of industry, state and 
federal agencies, and environmental organizations dedicated to 
promoting best management practices in boatyards and marinas. 
Participants must exceed Federal and State environmental compliance 
standards to achieve designation. It is their commitment to 
environmental safety and energy efficiency, combined with their 
impressive and trustworthy labor, that makes Lyman Morse a truly 
special Maine business and worthy of this recognition.
  I wish Lyman Morse all the best for the grand opening of their 
building. It is always inspiring to see examples of good stewards of 
the environment in Maine, a state that has always appreciated the 
importance of nature in our everyday lives. Their willingness to 
protect the one environment that we have is a beautiful example to all 
of us.

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