The popular Downeaster passenger train service between Portland and Boston is in danger of losing a key federal funding source, and much of the pressure for preserving the money could fall on Sen. Olympia Snowe.

The federal funding — up to $6 million a year — is critical because it constitutes more than one-third of the Downeaster’s annual operating budget.

The entire Maine congressional delegation is working in a bipartisan manner to restore the funds. But the job may wind up more on Snowe, R-Maine, to come up with the legislative goods to keep the Downeaster funding from being derailed. And in an election year when Snowe faces a primary challenge for the first time and four Democrats vying to take her on in November, legislative wins and losses can have consequences.

A victory would be offered up as evidence of her clout even as a member of the Senate minority as Snowe campaigns for a fourth term. A loss would provide opponents with some ammunition to contend that Maine voters could afford to make a change.

Here’s the legislative problem: Pending transportation bills in the House and Senate would end Maine’s ability to use money from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program to help run the Downeaster.

Democratic Reps. Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud are seeking a House vote to restore the state’s ability to use the money.

But House Republican leaders lack the votes to pass their version of the transportation bill, which includes cuts in the general road-repair money granted to most states, including Maine, and some controversial environmental provisions. They’re apparently reworking the bill now, but its prospects remain unclear.

In any case, it’s generally more difficult for members of the minority party to win amendments in the House than in the Senate.

Snowe is trying to build support in the Senate to add the Downeaster funding source to the Senate transportation bill, which is considered much more likely to win bipartisan support. Her backers include Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and some other New England senators. But Snowe has taken the lead and with that comes pressure.

The money from the air quality program is a crucial part of the Downeaster’s annual operating budget of about $15.1 million.

The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which manages the Downeaster on behalf of Maine, brings in about $8 million a year from sources such as ticket sales and food concessions, leaving about a $7.1 million shortfall.

Depending on the year, the federal money is used to cover $5 million to $6 million of that shortfall. The rest comes from revenue raised by a state-imposed car rental sales tax.

When the Downeaster service began in 2001, it was allowed to use the air quality program money temporarily.

In a five-year transportation bill passed in 2005, Maine won an exemption to continue using the money for the life of the transportation bill. Congress has not passed a transportation bill since then, but temporary extensions have kept in place Maine’s exemption.

The Maine Department of Transportation wants to continue using the federal air quality money to help run the Downeaster, said Sue Moreau, the department’s manager of passenger services.

Maine gets about $8 million total from the program, with some of that used to build commuter parking lots and other smaller projects.

But using the bulk of the federal money to continue operating the Downeaster, which serves about 500,000 riders a year, “is a continued good use of the money,” Moreau said.

It’s possible that Congress won’t agree — again — on a new transportation bill and will simply extend the current policy before it expires March 31, for several more months or even through the election.

That could relieve some of the pressure on the Maine delegation generally and Snowe in particular. Snowe no doubt will keep a watchful eye on any temporary extension to make sure the Downeaster keeps its funding — especially as the election draws closer.

MaineToday Media Washington Bureau Chief Jonathan Riskind can be contacted at 791-6280 or at:

jriskind@mainetoday.com

Twitter: Twitter.com/MaineTodayDC

 

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