Van Buren Port of Entry structure to be rebuilt, not repaired

    Congressman Mike Michaud has announced that the  Department of Homeland security plans to rebuild, rather than repair, the damaged Van Buren Port of Entry. The current building was damaged in the May floods and serious concerns remain regarding the building’s structural integrity.     “I am pleased that the federal government recognizes the need to replace this facility,” said Michaud. “The flooding this spring caused a lot of damage.  Simply patching over the damage seemed like a waste or resources since it was estimated at the time that such repairs would only last a few years at the most. The safest way forward and the best use of taxpayer money is to build a new structure and allow the staff to continue using the temporary facility. This way the Van Buren Port of Entry can continue to function and avoid serious safety concerns.”
    Earlier this summer, Michaud had sent a letter to the General Services Administration and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection urging them to construct a new facility in Van Buren.
    In his letter Michaud stated that “prior to the flood, the Van Buren Port of Entry was not adequate to the performance of the Department of Homeland Security mission, the building was antiquated and there were already existing safety concerns. There was also inadequate separation between the public and the officers, and no interrogation room or holding cell. The current temporary space is much more adequate and provides a safer working environment for the staff.”
    U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins had reinforced the need to replace the existing Port of Entry in Van Buren.
    “We are very pleased that the Department of Homeland Security has approved this request to rebuild the damaged Van Buren Port of Entry,” Senators Snowe and Collins said, “as Maine shares more than 600 miles of border with Canada, it is absolutely vital that we maintain effective and operational border crossings that prevent terrorists and criminals from entering our country while not disrupting the lives of Mainers, many of whom frequently travel back and forth between the United States and Canada.”
    The existing Port of Entry structure in Van Buren was built in 1964.