SANFORD — U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said she was disappointed when the Pentagon announced it would not repair the fire-damaged USS Miami nuclear submarine.

And she pointed squarely at sequestration as the culprit.

Pingree was in Sanford Tuesday to hear from the York County Advocacy Group, composed of city and town managers, councilors, county officials and selectmen. There were discussions about the shipyard, the graying of the workforce there and at Pratt & Whitney and other local manufacturers, and how federal spending decisions could affect local revitalization efforts.

“There’s no question it was sequestration,” on the decision not to repair the USS Miami, said Pingree, who pointed out she had voted against the bill that created the mandatory, across-the-board cuts.

The USS Miami was at the shipyard when it was set afire by a painter who wanted to get out of work for the day. He’s now behind bars, and the USS Miami was left with about $450 million in damage. Even though it was estimated the submarine would have 10 years of life remaining if repaired, the money crunch as a result of sequestration made it vulnerable.

“They were coming up against a deadline ”¦ and $450 million they could take away really quickly,” said Pingree.

She said there were no layoffs as a result of scrapping the Miami repair.

And she said the decision to scrap the Miami, rather than repair it, “will cost us more in the end.”

Group members wondered if Pingree had any information on if there could be another round of military base closures ”“ the shipyard had been on the last base closure list in 2005, but was removed after a review by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

The Kittery shipyard had a total annual civilian payroll of $421 million in 2012, according to an economic impact study prepared by the Seacoast Shipyard Association, with $240 million of the total distributed among 2,985 Maine workers. In all, the shipyard had a civilian workforce of 5,313 in 2012. In Maine, Sanford has the most workers, with 438. There are 187 who live in Biddeford and most of the remaining Maine workforce also lives in York County.

Pingree said she’s heard talk about another Base Closure and Realignment Commission, but added so far, Congress has taken a dim view ”“ and would perhaps look first at closing bases overseas.

Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission Director Paul Schumacher asked about future impacts of sequestration.

“It’s hard to look ahead because it’s a political logjam,” she said. “I think it can’t go on forever.”

Biddeford City Manager John Bubier said the shipyard is strong because of its labor force, but, he pointed out, that labor force has an average age of 45.

“We need to continue to be diligent not only on procurement but in job training and access to capital,” he told the congresswoman.

The graying of the workforce is also felt at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick, and there are new training efforts under way ”“ like a precision machinist program offered in Sanford by York County Community College ”“ to help provide for a ready workforce going forward.

And while budget finalization is a long way off and details are subject to change, she said some congressional appropriations committee budget crunchers have “zeroed out” brownsfields money ”“ which provides funding for cleaning up hazardous wastes at former industrial complexes, making the areas suitable for revitalization, and halving money set aside for Community Development Block Grants.

State Rep. Anne Marie Mastraccio, D-Sanford, asked Pingree if she had a sense of how long sequestration could last.

“I have a sense that there are some who think it’s great and don’t care,” Mastraccio commented.

Pingree pointed out she is one of 435 representatives, and while friends can be made “across the aisle,” she believes some in Congress want smaller government.

She said sequestration is responsible for the cut of 45 Head Start slots in York County.

Pingree, pointing to the recent news of the cuts, reducing the number of 4-year-olds who can attend Head Start in the county, said the country spent a lot of money fighting two wars and on tax cuts “we couldn’t pay for.”

Now, she said, the effect of sequestration is being felt at home.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.