Last of Maine's CARES Act relief money is allocated

Maine has allocated the last of its $1.25 billion in CARES Act funding. Nearly half was used for small businesses and workers.

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By Staff

With the deadline looming to use it or lose it, Maine has committed the last of its $1.25 billion allocation of CARES Act funding.

The final commitment, of $6.8 million, was made to Westbrook-based IDEXX Laboratories for COVID-19 testing — an ongoing effort that has more than quadrupled Maine’s capacity for detecting the virus.

Gov. Janet Mills and Department of Administrative and Financial Services Commissioner Kirsten Figueroa said that the final CARES Act funding met the Dec. 30 deadline for using the funds.

“Maine’s response to COVID-19, including our game-changing partnership with IDEXX and our small business recovery, education and housing grants, would not have been possible without federal relief,” Mills said in a news release. “I am grateful to Maine’s Congressional Delegation for their advocacy and help and will continue to work closely with them.”

She and Figueroa urged Congress to continue to provide pandemic relief for Maine residents.

“Amid changing guidance from the U.S. Treasury on CRF-eligible activities, global supply chain backlogs, and expiration of funding later this month well ahead of any clear victory against the virus, we continue to monitor CRF commitments and will readjust and drawdown funds through to the end as necessary,” said Kirsten Figueroa, Commissioner for the Department of Administrative and Financial Services.

In all, more than $8 billion in federal funding has been earmarked for Mainers’ health and jobs, according to the Congressional delegation of U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine, and U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, and Jared Golden, D-2nd District.

“It is our highest priority to pass an additional federal relief package to support families, small businesses, employees, students, and health care providers who are continuing to face severe challenges during this persistent pandemic.” Maine’s Congressional delegation said in a joint statement provided in Mills’ news release.

“As cases rise and federal aid programs expire, creating tremendous uncertainty for communities during the holiday season, the need to act now is urgent,” they added. “We remain united in our efforts to advocate for Maine, and we are continuing to work with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to provide additional assistance to support the health and safety of Mainers and our economy.”

The Mills administration committed nearly half of its share of relief funds to small businesses and workers, with $294 million earmarked for the Unemployment Trust Fund and $240 million set aside to help companies sustain business operations.

The administration also plans to issue a one-time payment of $600 to Mainers who are unemployed as a result of the pandemic.

Another large portion of funding went to Maine’s public school systems to aid with hybrid or fully remote learning.

Maine also invested in public health and safety, including procurement of PPE; health and safety within congregate living settings; grants for healthcare providers and for municipalities to deploy public health and prevention programs; child care for frontline workers; and pandemic assistance for people who are homeless, minorities, food insecure, and otherwise marginalized.