WHEREAS, in honor of the brave men and women who protect the life and property of Maine people, the State of Maine and its citizens observe the first Saturday in October as Firefighter’s Recognition Day in accordance with Sec. 1 MRSA § 135; and

WHEREAS, Maine has over three hundred thirty fire departments across the state dedicated to keeping our communities safe through fire response, medical emergencies, search and rescue, fire prevention, and code enforcement; and

Electric Grid Upgrades for Maine Businesses

Access to a reliable energy supply is critical for businesses large and small all across Maine, but especially in rural parts of our state, and in our heritage industries that are at the heart of our economy.

For instance, farms use a lot of energy to operate machinery and prepare and irrigate and plant their fields, and sawmills use energy to convert logs into lumber and create other wood-based products. Seafood processors use energy to freeze their product.

Building a strong electric grid for businesses who need a significant supply of energy will strengthen those businesses and strengthen our economy, especially in rural Maine.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

To ensure that our small businesses have the supply of energy they need to expand, earlier this week I announced that I am dedicating $6.5 million to electrical grid upgrades in rural Maine.

Using federal funding through my Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Governor’s Energy Office, and the Maine Technology Institute (MTI), will provide funds for electric grid upgrades for small businesses especially, with an emphasis on rural, energy-intensive industries, such as agricultural and food systems, seafood harvesting, forestry, manufacturing, and housing.

By upgrading their electric grid, businesses can count on a stable supply of energy despite any disruptions to the global energy supply, like the ones we saw this past year related to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

It is our hope that these grants will allow businesses to grow their operations, improve efficiency, expand their facilities, or increase their workforce, or all of the above.

Companies can learn more about their eligibility for this program by visiting MTI’s website at MaineTechnology.org.

That’s MaineTechnology.org.

This new grant program builds on other actions my Administration has taken to improve our energy supply and support people and businesses who are grappling with increased heating fuel and electricity prices.

For instance:

• In the last year, we returned more than half of the state’s budget surplus to Maine people through $850 inflation relief checks;
• We also successfully pressed for increased funding for Federal heating assistance programs to help Maine households with oil bills last winter;
• We opposed electricity rate increases sought by CMP and Versant;
• We secured a one-time bill credit of $90 for tens of thousands of low-income customers of CMP and Versant;
• We provided $800 in heating cost relief to nearly 13,000 low-income households to help pay for high energy costs;
• We provided up to $1,400 in tax relief for eligible low- and middle-income families and seniors;
• And we funded programs to increase energy efficiency in schools and public buildings through the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan.

My Administration will continue to do all we can to help Maine businesses and Maine people deal with high energy prices and to build a stronger electric grid so we can generate more of the energy we need right here at home.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, Maine has a rich and storied tradition of hunting and angling that dates back further than the state itself and carries forward to this day; and

WHEREAS, hunting and angling continue to be an integral component of the cultural fabric of communities throughout the state, and over recent years have offered a growing number of participants an opportunity to connect with nature on a personal level while simultaneously providing food security, a sense of self-sufficiency, and both mental and physical health benefits; and

WHEREAS, workplaces across our state that are welcoming of the talents of all people, including people with disabilities, are critical to healthy communities and a strong economy; and

WHEREAS, people with disabilities nationally and in Maine have achieved record-breaking labor force participation since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, as people make the most of technological advances, remote access, and job opportunities during a time of low unemployment rates; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine Office of Information Technology plays a vital role in identifying, protecting, and responding to evolving cyber threats that can significantly impact the State's information systems and our collective safety, security, and privacy; and

WHEREAS, technology plays an increasingly important role in our daily lives and provides crucial support for critical infrastructure sectors, such that the rise in malicious cyber-attacks, ransomware and other cybercrimes have a serious impact on our state and national security; and

When you walk into the voting booth this November 7th, there will be a whopping eight referendum questions for your consideration – and a few of them have enormously high stakes for Maine and for our future.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

Now I don’t feel the need to weigh in on every question, but there is at least one that I am pretty concerned about – Question 3, An Act to Create the so-called Pine Tree Power Company.

In its simplest terms, Question 3 would force CMP and Versant to sell their assets to a new public power authority, called Pine Tree Power, through eminent domain.

Proponents of Question 3 use slick slogans like “Maine, not Spain” and poll-tested talking points about returning power to the people.

Sounds good, right? Well, journalist H.L. Mencken once said, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”

And that’s how I feel about Question 3.

Here are my three main concerns:

First, the cost. Question 3 will cost Maine people as much as $13.5 billion in borrowed money. That’s more than the entire biennial budget for the State of Maine. And can you imagine the interest payments on $13.5 billion? The cost alone leaves me very concerned that we are proposing to mortgage the future of our children who are going to have to foot this bill years down the road.

And would it lead to lower electricity costs? Well, the Office of the Public Advocate has said there is no guarantee that the price of electricity would come down in the long run under Question 3. And independent analyses indicate that the cost of electricity would likely increase in the short-term and another increase in rates is not what we need.

Second, the structure. Question 3 creates a governing board of elected individuals – in other words, politicians, with no particular credentials. Electing people only injects a level of politics and partisanship into the delivery of our electricity. That’s the last thing we need, and, hey, I’m talking as a politician.

And what would this governing board of politicians be in charge of? Well, they would be required to contract with an operator to run the transmission and utility’s assets. An operator that has “familiarity with the systems to be administered.” So, somebody who looks a lot like CMP and Versant.

So, what we are really talking about here is adding a layer of bureaucracy and politics and partisanship over the existing structure of CMP and Versant and I just don’t see how this improves anything.

Third, the setbacks. Because Question 3 is a hostile take-over of our utilities with eminent domain, we are guaranteed to go to court and to be tied up in litigation for years, if not decades. That leaves our utilities in a dangerous state of limbo when we can least afford it. It also threatens to set back the progress we are making in modernizing the electric grid to achieve clean energy goals and address climate change.

Look, I strongly believe that Maine consumers deserve high quality, reliable, and competent service. That’s why two years ago, over the strenuous objections of the utilities, I introduced and signed into law legislation that sets minimum standards for service, increases penalties, and strengthens oversight of our utilities.

That’s what we should be doing – holding them accountable and improving their service, not launching a hostile take-over that will cost billions of dollars to Maine ratepayers, and inject partisanship into the delivery of our power, and delay the progress we’ve been making.

Like H.L. Mencken said, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” Question 3 presents a rosy solution, but, in reality, I just don’t see how it will improve our utilities or the services they provide. In fact, I fear it might just make things worse.

The stakes are high. And if you have doubts as I do, let’s not gamble with Maine’s future – please vote no on Question 3.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 created the Justice Assistance Grant program and encouraged each state to establish a broad-based policy board to serve as a forum for communication and coordination in the development of a statewide justice assistance strategy; and

WHEREAS, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (collectively, “the federal Acts”), similarly require statewide planning and coordination; and

WHEREAS, on September 14, 2023, I proclaimed an Emergency under 37-B M.R.S. §§ 703(2) & 742(l)(A), 37-B M.R.S. Ch. 13, sub-ch. II., and 22 M.R.S. §§ 801(4-A) & 802(2-A) because of the threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, loss of life and property resulting from the storm known as Hurricane Lee; and

WHEREAS, the Proclamation of Emergency facilitated preparation efforts led by the Maine Emergency Management Agency; and

WHEREAS, the storm conditions have exited the State of Maine;

WHEREAS, the United Nations, the World Federation of the Deaf, the National Association of the Deaf and 129 National Associations of the Deaf throughout the world simultaneously participate in the Deaf World Week Celebration; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine and its citizens observe the last full week of September as Deaf Culture Week in accordance with Sec. 1.1 MRSA §132; and

WHEREAS, Maine is committed to a clean energy future and enjoys abundant forms of renewable energy that power homes and businesses across the State; and

WHEREAS, Maine has a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires 80 percent renewable energy by 2030 and has a goal of 100 percent by 2050; and

WHEREAS, Maine leads New England in wind-powered generation; and