State officials on Tuesday pitched their plan to build a new Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife headquarters on the banks of the Kennebec River in Augusta.

The request to allow the state to borrow up to $39.5 million to buy land and to construct a new building is part of Gov. Janet Mills’ supplemental budget. Among other things, her budget proposes to issue $500 checks to Maine taxpayers, provide free community college for students affected by the pandemic, put additional funds in the state’s savings account, and earmark $100 million for transportation needs.

The new IF&W building is necessary because the department outgrew its long-time leased space on State Street and recently moved to a temporary leased space on Water Street, also in Augusta, said Elaine Clark, a deputy commissioner at the Department of Administrative and Financial Services.

She said a new headquarters will give the department the ability to bring multiple offices in Augusta, and one in Bangor, to the same building.

The proposal calls for the state to purchase two parcels on the city’s east side. One is a 20-acre lot owned by the city that is the former site of the Statler Tissue mill and the other is a privately owned four-acre parcel, she said.

Both sites have been contaminated by previous uses. Clark said while their preference is to build the new headquarters in Augusta, if they cannot, the language in the budget gives them flexibility to pursue other areas.

“The location of the proposed facility would revitalize two post-industrial brownfield clean-up sites on the Kennebec River to an energy efficient office and learning center,” she said. “The history and habitat provide a unique mission-related opportunity for IF&W.”

In an interview with Spectrum News Maine last month, IF&W Commissioner Judy Camuso said she hopes the site will allow them to offer workshops to those who hunt and fish.

“What we’ve been really lacking is a space where we can do education programs and outdoor experiences for people, as well as classroom space and conference room space,” she said.

Augusta Mayor Mark O’Brien testified in support of the proposal on Tuesday, saying the location offers the department and visitors access to a site that is frequented by bald eagles, sturgeon and osprey. In addition, he said it is near the city’s downtown with easy access to walking trails.

“There’s nearly a mile of riverfront property offering the department unparalleled access for Maine’s public to a rich national resource in the heart of Augusta barely a stone’s throw away from the statehouse,” he said.