Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. I I JA N UA R Y 2 2 , 2 0 2 4 6 EV charging stations planned at 70 sites Maine will receive $15 million in federal money to expand the state's public network of electric vehicle chargers. A grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will fund the addition of 62 Level 3 fast-charging ports and 520 Level 2 charger ports at more than 70 sites in 63 cities and towns, Gov. Janet Mills announced. Maine has more than 1,000 public charging ports but needs more. "Increasing the reliability of our statewide EV charging network will combat 'range anxiety' in our rural state," said Bruce Van Note, commis- sioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. As recently as 2019, Maine had just 184 charg- ing stations. Expansion is planned through Recharge Maine, a state initiative to create a convenient, reliable and accessible EV charg- ing network, especially along the state's busiest roads and highways. In recent months, fast EV char- gers were installed in Ellsworth, Bangor, Belfast, Newport, Fairfield, Auburn and Lewiston, and funding has been committed for chargers in Presque Isle, Fort Kent, Medway, Machias, Houlton, Ashland, Danforth, Van Buren, Baileyville, Augusta, Searsport, Waldoboro, Rockland and Brunswick. N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E FocusMaine, a private-sector initiative to create jobs in agriculture, aquacul- ture and biopharmaceuticals, said it received a $6.9 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation. Funds will go toward a comprehensive three-year strategic plan, ensuring the continua- tion of effective programs and a shift into more innovation and stakeholder engagement. New Ventures Maine in Augusta an- nounced the business winners of its fall 2023 Marketing Mini-Grant Competition: The Whole Almond, Remo, Tandem Glass, Martin Woods Farm, Axe Women Loggers of Maine and the Shamrock Café. Two University of Maine System schools received grants from the B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state S T A T E W I D E P H O T O E S S AY P h o t o s b y F r e d F i e l d , J a n . 1 3 , 2 0 2 4 A canoe was the medium of choice for this trio navigating Custom House Wharf by Harbor Fish in Portland's Old Port. Floodwaters covered the causeway from Cousins Island to Littlejohn Island in Yarmouth shortly after high tide. A woman juggled her dog, an umbrella and her phone as she photographed the area near Harbor Fish. Water inundated the vicinity of J's Oyster in the Old Port. A record high tide in Portland occurred on Jan. 13, at 12:05 p.m., surpassing the record set during the Blizzard of February 1978.

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