AUGUSTA – Full funding has been restored for the Machias veterans outreach center, as part of an agreement in the budget package the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee was expected to approve Friday evening, according to House Speaker Pat Colwell.

Colwell appeared at a noontime press conference with Gov. John Baldacci at which the governor announced new funding for the Portland outreach center, and made a commitment to restore funding for full operations before the new budget year begins on July 1.

“This is great news for Machias and all the veterans in Washington and Hancock counties,” Colwell said. The two counties have among the highest proportions of veterans of any counties in Maine, with an estimated 7,000 veterans in Washington County alone.

The two veterans centers were among five originally slated to close as part of the administration’s original budget request. The governor’s office worked to reduce the number of affected centers to two, and Baldacci said he was pleased that all seven centers will now remain open. The Passamaquoddy Tribe pledged $24,000 to help keep the Machias center open.