Maine

2016 Report Card GPA:
C-

Maine has over 1,000 dams registered with the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

Of these, 191 are classified as dams of significant- and high-hazard potential, in which failure would result in considerable damages or loss of life. Approximately half of those are in fair or unsatisfactory condition and Maine’s compliance with the Association of Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) Model Dam Safety Program is well below the national average. Maine also has five federally-supported levees with an average rating of “minimally acceptable.” Lack of comprehensive planning and underfunded dam and levee safety programs add to the concern. However, options for increasing funding exist; consideration of environmental and social benefits is improving decision making; and the Model Dam Safety Program can be leveraged to develop funding and legislative action.

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Maine Infrastructure Grades

2016 Report Card GPA:
C-
Aviation
C+
Bridges
C-
Dams
D+
Drinking Water
C+
Education
C
Energy
B-
Environmental Cleanup
C-
Parks
C+
Ports
B-
Rail
C
Roads
D
Solid Waste
C-
Transportation
D+
Wastewater
D+

A: Exceptional, B: Good, C: Mediocre, D: Poor, F: Failing, ?: Incomplete

Each category was evaluated on the basis of capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation and maintenance, public safety, resilience, and innovation

Key Facts About Maine Infrastructure

Aviation

35 public-use airports

Bridges

366 of the 2,402 bridges are structurally deficient

Bridges

$29 million in bridge funds came from the Federal Highway Bridge Fund in 2011

Dams

27 high hazard dams

Dams

100% of the state regulated dams have an Emergency Action Plan

Drinking Water

$1.2 billion in drinking water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years

Energy

7.963 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy every year, ranking it 11th

Hazardous Waste

13 sites on the National Priorities List

Inland Waterways

70 miles of inland waterways, ranking it 37th nationally

Levees

3 miles of levees

Ports

15.1 million short tons of cargo in 2012, ranking it 32nd nationally

Public Parks

$38.0 million of unmet needs for its parks system

Rail

7 freight railroads covering 896 miles across the state, ranking 42nd nationally by mileage

Roads

$454.0 million a year in costs to motorists from driving on roads in need of repair, which is $451 /yr per motorist

Roads

2,568 of the state’s 22,871 public roads are major roads, and 7% are in poor condition

Schools

$659.0 million in estimated school infrastructure funding needs

Transit

4.4 million annual unlinked passenger trips via transit systems including bus, transit, and commuter trains

Wastewater

$1.0 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs over the next 20 years

Sources

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