Most voters showing support for hodgepodge Question 5

Question 5, a bond issue for environmental and agricultural projects, was drawing strong support from the state’s voters Tuesday.

With 93 percent of the state’s precincts reporting, 64.9 percent of voters had cast their ballots in favor of the $17 million bond.

Support for the bond varied regionally. The measure, which included $1 million for improvements to potato storage facilities, was passed nearly 2-to-1 in Aroostook County. With the majority of votes counted in Washington and Piscataquis counties, however, the ballot question was failing. It was strongly supported in Penobscot and Cumberland counties.

“I’m optimistic. I think it will go,” said Agriculture Commissioner Robert Spear. Agricultural projects, such as irrigation and manure storage sheds, will receive $3.7 million in funding as part of the bond package.

The majority of money in the hodgepodge bond issue will go toward environmental improvement projects such as sewer and drinking water system upgrades.

“It’s another recognition of the investment we’ve made over the last 30 years to clean up Maine’s environment,” said Brooke Barnes, deputy commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.

Not only will the bond issue help the state’s environment, it will help the economy by providing jobs, according to supporters. Eighty percent of the work will go to Maine contractors, Barnes said Tuesday.

The $17 million bond issue provides funding for:

. $6 million for large water pollution control projects that will be matched by up to $12.5 million in federal funds. More than half the total, $3.5 million, will be distributed to communities to build better water pollution control facilities. The remaining $2.5 million will be put into the state’s revolving loan fund to be available for communities that are undertaking large projects such as constructing or upgrading treatment plants or building composting facilities.

. $1 million to remove discharge pipes that flow directly from homes and businesses. In coastal areas, the removal of such pipes has allowed the reopening of 11,000 acres of clam flats that were contaminated with waste.

. $1.5 million to replace failing septic systems in residential homes.

. $500,000 to clean up tire stockpiles in Bowdoin, where 8 million tires remain.

. $1 million for making improvements to already-sealed municipal landfills. In some cases, new water lines will be built to ensure drinking water is not contaminated by runoff.

. $3 million to improve public drinking water supplies to be matched by $15.8 million in federal funds.

The money, in the form of loans and grants, will enable communities to better secure their water supplies from possible tampering and to protect drinking water from chemical and bacterial contamination.

. $300,000 for the Municipal Investment Trust Fund, a downtown revitalization program run by the Department of Community and Economic Development.

. $2 million to help farmers construct manure storage facilities. This will enable them to store manure during the winter months rather than spreading it on frozen ground where it is likely to run off and pollute lakes and streams.

. $700,000 to help farmers build water storage ponds, new wells and irrigation systems to water their crops during droughts.

. $1 million for the Potato Marketing Improvement Fund. The money will be lent to potato farmers so they can build and modernize storage sheds for year-round use.

New processing facilities in Aroostook County need potatoes throughout the year.

In the past, farmers stored potatoes for only a few months before shipping them to market.