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Photo courtesy of Will Warner VIEW FROM THE MOUNTAIN — Moosehead Lake and Mount Kineo are seen from the chairlift at Big Moose Mountain just outside Greenville. The Friends of the Mountain’s “Ski the View, Save the Mountain” campaign aims to have the non-profit purchase the 1,700-acre property in Big Moose Township.
Photo courtesy of Will Warner VIEW FROM THE MOUNTAIN — Moosehead Lake and Mount Kineo are seen from the chairlift at Big Moose Mountain just outside Greenville. The Friends of the Mountain’s “Ski the View, Save the Mountain” campaign aims to have the non-profit purchase the 1,700-acre property in Big Moose Township.

U.S. Sens. Collins, King announce $500,000 for Friends of the Mountain, EMDC

Staff, Piscataquis Observer •July 23, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King announced that 29 Maine organizations will receive a total of $20,588,173 to support important development projects. The funding comes from the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Fiscal Year 2025 Catalyst Program and Timber for Transit Program and will support projects aimed at strengthening economic opportunity in communities across 13 Maine counties.

A total of $500,000 has been awarded to both the Friends of the Mountain and Eastern Maine Development Corporation.

NBRC funds will be used to support the purchase of the 1,700-acre Big Moose Mountain Ski Area, a key resource for economic revitalization in Piscataquis County. This $6 million project will create sustainable, year-round jobs, attract new residents and strengthen rural tourism, benefiting multiple underserved communities. By securing this funding, Friends of the Mountain aim to restore and expand outdoor recreation infrastructure, fostering long-term economic growth and environmental conservation.

NBRC funds will be used to establish the EMDC NBRC RLF Program, supporting small business growth in distressed counties of Eastern Maine. This initiative will provide loans ranging from $25,000 to $50,000, helping businesses expand operations, create jobs and strengthen the local economy. The program aims to foster long-term economic sustainability by revolving loan repayments into future lending opportunities.

“The NBRC has long helped provide rural regions with the economic tools they need to prosper,” said Collins and King. “This funding will help improve water infrastructure and roadways in communities across our state while strengthening our workforce and creating economic opportunities for Mainers.”

The NBRC was established by Congress in 2008, with Collins’ and King’s support, to fund a broad range of development projects in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York aimed at alleviating economic distress and encouraging private sector job creation. In 2023 Collins introduced and King co-sponsored a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the NBRC. 

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