Sen. Collins Announces Release of $10 million Secured for Spruce Budworm Mitigation in Maine

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced today that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has signed a grant agreement with the State of Maine to allow for the release of $10 million she secured in the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior appropriations bill to prevent the outbreak of spruce budworm in Maine.

Last week at a hearing, Sen. Collins pressed Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz to commit to the quick release of this funding to prevent the spread of spruce budworm during a critical window for spraying. This funding builds on the $14 million Sen. Collins secured in the 2024 supplemental appropriations to effectively spray and treat Maine's forests.

"Eighty-eight percent of Maine is covered by forests," Sen. Collins said. "Our forest products industry supports approximately 30,000 jobs across all of Maine's 16 counties. I am pleased to announce that the $10 million of funding for spruce budworm treatment can now be deployed in a timely manner so that the spraying can occur when it is most effective to preserve this vital industry."

Read the transcript and watch the video of Sen. Collins' Q&A with Chief Tom Schultz here.

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