Why is Amazon so interested in Maine?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 13, 2026

Amazon has moved deliberately to expand its operations in Maine as part of a sweeping effort to deliver orders faster in rural communities across the country. The four so-called last-mile delivery stations already built or planned in Maine—a 12,000-square-foot delivery station in Caribou, a 60,000-square-foot delivery facility in Hermon, a 146,280-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Gorham and a 159,000-square-foot facility in Waterville—are part of a $4 billion initiative Amazon unveiled in April 2025. The company plans to add 1.2 million square miles to its rural network by the end of this year. Citizen opposition groups have formed in response to the proposals, with shared concerns about their impact on traffic, natural resources and overall quality of life in rural communities.