Transcript for Protecting Maine Through Stronger Infrastructure and Climate Resiliency

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

You know, when I took office nearly eight years ago, I promised that Maine won't wait to take action to protect our state, our people, and our economy from the dangers of extreme weather events caused by pollution and changes to our environment. And I promised that we would fight to preserve this special place that we call home; preserve it for the benefit of our children and grandchildren.

The stakes could not be higher. Look no further than the devastating storms of just a few years ago. Storms that impacted our communities, our people, and our economy-that destroyed a lot of infrastructure across the state.

I've made climate action a cornerstone of my Administration. First, we created the Maine Climate Council, and we issued a groundbreaking climate action plan. And we dedicated millions of federal and state dollars to make that plan a reality.

In 2025, we made the single largest investment in storm recovery by any administration in Maine history, and we created the State Resilience Office to build better, stronger public infrastructure to withstand future storms.

That office manages a partnership of more than 300 communities and has awarded more than $29 million in state and federal funds for projects to prepare local communities for flooding, for storm surge, for rising sea levels, and other climate and weather events that put people's lives and livelihoods at risk.

Recently, I was proud to announce the latest round of funding through that partnership: more than $4.7 million in grants to 72 cities and Tribal Governments, including the towns of Bingham and Madawaska:

• The Town of Bingham will install high-efficiency heat pumps and a rooftop solar system in order to lower their energy costs at the municipally owned Veterans Building;
• The Town of Madawaska will use their grant to launch the RIDER Program, a shared e-bike fleet in a rural community that doesn't have public transportation;
• And the Town of Freedom will use its grant to do an energy audit of its buildings and to plan for a bridge replacement across Hustus Brook.

Through these projects and so many more, we are continuing to address the very real threat of severe weather events for the health of our people, the health of our environment, and the health of our economy.

You know that clean air and clean water know no political party. Our planet is neither Democratic nor Republican. It's the home of all of us, and it is the responsibility of all of us and all governments to preserve it for future generations.

I am proud that over the past nearly eight years, we've made cost-effective heat pumps, weatherization programs, and other things available for Maine people and businesses. We've attracted investments in emerging industries and renewables, and we've created good-paying, green collar jobs. We've reduced our reliance on expensive fossil fuels, and we've mobilized scientists, industry leaders, local and state officials, and young people from all over to act as one to address the effects of climate change.

We won't wait for the next storm or the next disaster. We do care. And as the author Wendell Berry wrote, "We care for this home that is ours. A home that we care for as we care for no other place in the world."

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.