WASHINGTON — Maine lawmakers said this afternoon that the Maine Military Authority in Limestone is about to receive, literally, a ton of new work.

The Army National Guard Bureau is sending 50 five-ton trucks to the MMA, said Rep. Mike Michaud, D-2nd, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

Each truck represents 700 hours of work, enough to keep the current work force at MMA employed into the first three months of the 2012 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, the lawmakers said they have been told by an official at MMA.

That means layoffs scheduled to take place in June won’t occur, Michaud said in a statement.

Collins said in a statement she has brought top Army personnel to the facility in Limestone on a number of occasions to show them the quality of the work done there in repairing Humvees – and to show they can do other types of vehicles, as well.

“I am pleased that the Army and the National Guard Bureau have once again recognized the quality and craftsmanship of the work force at MMA,” Collins said. “This work will prevent the layoffs of 50 dedicated employees whose jobs were on the line.”