WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Chairman of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, and Susan Collins (R-ME), Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, announced that the National Park Service has provided a grant of $32,680,126 to construct a new maintenance complex for Acadia National Park.  Nickerson & O'Day, Inc., of Brewer received the contract to construct the facility.  The funding was awarded through the Great American Outdoors Act.  

“Acadia is one of our state’s most precious treasures and home to critical wildlife habitat.  It is our collective responsibility to preserve its stunning natural beauty,” said Senators King and Collins in a joint statement. “This funding will make significant improvements to park infrastructure, helping National Park Service employees tackle maintenance projects that are necessary to protect Acadia for the benefit of current and future generations.  The Great American Outdoors Act was designed to invest in the future of America’s natural wonders – and over the last three years it has done exactly that.”

The new fixed-function maintenance operations complex will be constructed at Acadia National Park’s McFarland Hill headquarters.  The site is approximately 10 acres in size with a 27,000 square foot building (and outbuildings).  Work tasks include demolishing and relocating more than 20,000 square feet of unsound park structures.  The new maintenance functions include shops, storage, equipment support spaces, restrooms, locker rooms, offices, workspaces, breakroom, conference rooms, utility support spaces, fuel station, vehicle storage, employee/staff parking, and a wash bay.  The facility has been designed to meet current building code, fire code, accessibility code, climate change,

Senators King and Collins have been longstanding advocates for preserving Maine and America’s public lands. In August 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act—introduced and negotiated by Senator King and cosponsored by Senator Collins—was signed into law. This bipartisan legislation provides full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and addresses the deferred maintenance backlog at our national parks, national wildlife refuges, and national forest lands.