CARIBOU – The Community Development Block Grant program is a source of revenue that allows Maine communities to conduct projects they otherwise could not pursue.

Recent grant approvals in Aroostook County promise more than $1 million in construction this season in Caribou, Van Buren and some 34 communities involved in a well and septic system renovation consortium that is being overseen by the town of St. Agatha.

Mary Walton, director of economic development in Caribou, said the recent approval of a $500,000 downtown revitalization program by CDBG brings to $1.3 million the amount the city has received in the past 12 months.

“It will be a busy summer,” Walton said. “We may be the first in Maine to get three CDBG grants in one year.

“This strengthens the evidence that this program needs to continue to bring improvements to towns and cities,” she continued. “The city could not complete these projects without the grant money.”

The most recent $500,000 gift will allow another phase of downtown revitalization in the Caribou Mall area. There is money for facade improvements, removal of the canopy over the mall, the replacement and upgrade of sidewalks and the installation of new lighting.

The $2.4 million overall project will bring money from several other agencies and businesses. The facade renovation money, $50,000, calls for businesses to put up half the money for their projects.

The Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also putting up $50,000 to help businesses get low-interest loans to pursue their projects.

The Maine Department of Transportation is putting in $800,000 for intersection improvements in the area, and the city has commitments from private business for $1 million in investments in the project area.

The city, according to Walton, is also working with a $300,000 housing rehabilitation project that will fix health and safety issues in up to 18 homes. That work can include new siding, roofing, windows, heating systems, insulation and wells and septic systems.

The city is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing program and the Aroostook County Action Program for more weatherization money.

They also had a $500,000 public infrastructure CDBG grant that will see to the installation of new water mains on Limestone and Broadway streets. They are partnered with the Caribou Utilities District in those projects.

At Van Buren, the town recently received a $125,000 CDBG grant that will assist Main Street businesses with facade improvements, bringing new lighting to the downtown.

The 42 new lights will be easier to maintain and give off better lighting. The facade improvement program already has enough businesses involved to use all the money. The facade program is a 50-50 match for businesses.

“We will be busy through the construction season with this grant and four other grants we have received in recent months,” said Dan Lapointe, the town’s economic development director. “For many of these projects, the waiting list for assistance surpasses the money we have.

“We are applying for even more money to help with projects,” he said. “We have all kinds of needs.”

Van Buren also has a $500,000 CDBG grant and $400,000 loan from the USDA Rural Development Program to reconstruct Violette and High streets. That will include new water and sewer line mains, storm drains and the repaving of the two streets.

They also have received $300,000 from CDBG for home renovations and a rehabilitation program for apartments. Lapointe said they have enough homes to renovate for two or three more grant applications.

Van Buren’s Acadian Village also has been approved for a $10,000 planning grant. Finally, the town has $16,000 for doing cross-country and ATV trails in the community, a state housing grant for more assistance for landlords, and a $30,000 regional economic park grant with Grand Isle, Hamlin, Cyr Plantation, Sherman, Patten and Staceyville.

A 34-town consortium also has acquired a $375,000 grant to fix or replace faulty wells and septic systems. St. Agatha is the lead community for the Department of Economic and Community Development-funded project.

The Northern Aroostook Wells and Septic Program is part of a 2005 Innovative Housing Grant Program. The project is in its fifth year and has brought $1,050,000 from CDBG and seen the completion of 149 projects at needy homes.

In the latest funding, according to information from St. Agatha Town Manager Ryan Pelletier, the program has money for two complete housing replacement projects.

“It’s a matter of addressing the area’s needs,” Pelletier said. “We can transition into the growing issue of dilapidated homes and into replacement housing.”

This project is partnered with the Maine State Housing Authority, the Aroostook County Action Program, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the USDA Rural Development Agency and 34 local communities.

“This is a case where local communities have successfully joined together and solved a good number of serious health and environmental concerns,” Pelletier said.