Poliquin’s pro-economic development legislation heads to president’s desk

The U.S. Senate on March 8 approved legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) to address an outdated deed restriction in Old Town, Maine, that’s hampering economic development. The bill now advances to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“I’m extremely thrilled with today’s passage of this critically important Maine jobs bill, the product of months of hard work from town and local leaders in Old Town and strong will and leadership in both the House and Senate,” Rep. Poliquin said following the Senate’s unanimous consent vote last week.

The congressman introduced the Removing Outdated Restrictions to Allow for Job Growth Act, H.R. 1177, on Feb. 16, 2017. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved the bill, 418-1, on May 17, 2017. U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) introduced the identical bill, S. 715, in the Senate on March 23, 2017, with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) as an original cosponsor.

“When this legislation is signed into law, we will finally fix an outdated policy and at long last allow all the pieces already in place to come together to grow jobs and businesses in the heart of Maine,” said Poliquin, who thanked the senators “for their leadership in getting this legislation across the finish line in the Senate. Maine is open for business!”

The land in question is adjacent to the Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, also known as Dewitt Field, a public use airport located just outside the central business district of Old Town, Maine. The United States government bought the land in 1937 under the Bankhead Jones Farm Tenant Act, a law that allowed it to restore damaged lands. The federal government sold the land in the early 1980s with the stipulation that it be used by the airport, according to information provided by Poliquin’s office.

These “antiquated restrictions,” according to Poliquin’s staff, now are prohibiting commercial development and the town has already invested $1 million in infrastructure improvements in efforts to attract potential businesses and jobs. If signed into law, Poliquin’s bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to strike the obsolete deed restriction upon request from the municipality, paving the way for such development, according to the congressman’s office.