BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 5, 2025
U.S. Sen. Angus King and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree are demanding the Trump administration immediately undo its “ill-advised decision” to abruptly end support for the Maine Sea Grant program. In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dated March 5, King and Pingree defended Maine Sea Grant as an “invaluable resource” for supporting the state’s coastal economy. For every federal dollar invested, it generates $15 in economic activity, adding up to $23.5 million annually, they wrote. Maine Sea Grant, which started in 1971, supported more than 300 businesses and more than 560 jobs in 2023.