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Mills also announces proposal to create Maine Climate Council

During her remarks at the E2Tech 2019 Conference this morning, Governor Janet Mills announced that Maine has joined the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 21 states committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement. To help accomplish this goal and identify other steps that can be taken to combat climate change, Governor Mills also announced that her Administration will introduce legislation to create the Maine Climate Council.

Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills announced today that her Administration will propose using the building in Bangor commissioned by the previous administration as a “step-down” facility to, instead, offer a new option for inpatient-level care in the state while simultaneously expanding outpatient mental health services.

“The Coalition’s work promoting the expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling is incompatible with Maine’s interests.”

Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills announced today that the State of Maine will not participate in the Outer Continental Shelf Governors Coalition (OCSGC).

Augusta, MAINE - Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement today in response to an announcement that the Trump Administration has formally issued a “domestic gag” rule designed to target Title X funding which ensures more than four million low-income Americans can access essential reproductive health care:

Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills and Commissioner of Health and Human Services Jeanne Lambrew announced today that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has notified the State that Riverview Psychiatric Center has met all the conditions for recertification and will resume receiving federal Medicare reimbursement.

Portland, MAINE -- Governor Janet Mills released the following statement in response to the announcement of a signed Stipulation regarding the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) proposal:

“Last night thousands of Maine households turned up their thermostats to keep their families warm as the wind and snow came upon us around midnight. At $2.90 a gallon, most of those households spent precious dollars on heating oil.

Amanda Beal Confirmed Commissioner of Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Augusta, MAINE - Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement today in response to the Maine Senate’s unanimous confirmation of her final cabinet nominee Amanda Beal to lead the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF):

Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills signed an Executive Order yesterday to end a moratorium on wind turbine permits. This order clarifies that state agencies with the legal authority to issue permits can once again do their work with Maine’s local communities and stakeholders to determine which projects should go forward.

Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills issued the following statement today in response to the Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s unanimous vote of present committee members to advance the nomination of Amanda Beal to lead the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF):

Augusta, MAINE- Governor Janet Mills announced today that Aroostook County State Offices will close and all other State offices will open on a delayed start Wednesday at 11:00 AM due to inclement weather conditions.

“Please drive safely today,” said Governor Mills. “Snow and slick roads will make for dangerous conditions, and I encourage everyone to give our public safety officers and plow drivers plenty of room to operate as they work to keep us all safe.”

Please note that all state offices will open for regular hours Thursday, February 14, 2019.

Augusta, MAINE- Governor Janet Mills announced today that all State offices will open on a delayed start Wednesday at 11:00 AM due to inclement weather conditions.

“Please drive safely today,” said Governor Mills. “Snow and slick roads will make for dangerous conditions, and I encourage everyone to give our public safety officers and plow drivers plenty of room to operate as they work to keep us all safe.”

Please note that all state offices will open for regular hours Thursday, February 14, 2019.

Augusta, MAINE- The following is the State of the Budget Address of the 75th Governor of Maine, Janet T. Mills as prepared for delivery.

Mr. President; Madam Speaker; Chief Justice Saufley; Chiefs Francis, Nicholas, Sabattis, and Paul; Ambassador Dana;

Secretary of State Dunlap; Treasurer Beck; Attorney General Frey; Auditor Buckley;

Honorable Members of the 129th Legislature;

Three months have passed since the general election.

Two months since the Legislature was sworn in.

Governor Janet Mills appeared before the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee during a public hearing Thursday to testify in support of legislation to amend the Constitution of Maine to prevent discrimination based on an individual’s sex.

Augusta, MAINE - Governor Janet Mills announced today she has hired Mary Anne Turowski and Tom Abello to serve as senior policy advisors. Turowski previously served as director of politics and legislation for the Maine State Employees Association and Abello previously worked as director of external affairs at The Nature Conservancy.

Augusta, MAINE – Today, the Maine Senate overwhelmingly confirmed nine of Governor Janet Mills’ cabinet nominees, including the Commissioners of the Departments of Administrative and Financial Services, Transportation, Labor, Economic and Community Development, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Resources, Environmental Protection, and Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, as well as the head of the Workers’ Compensation Board.

Governor Mills released the following statement in response:

Augusta, MAINE - At a public hearing on Tuesday, a representative of Governor Mills, President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash and Speaker Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, testified in support of LD 1, “An Act to Protect Health Care Coverage for Maine Families.” The bill, sponsored by President Jackson and Speaker Gideon, would require insurance companies to include basic patient protections in health care plans offered in Maine.

Good morning, I am Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

In the past five years at least one thousand six hundred thirty people in Maine have died from drug overdose – more than the population of Chesterville, or Eastport or North Berwick.

418 in 2017 alone – more than one a day.

You know, these people are not “junkies.” They are our neighbors, our co-workers, family members, school mates, graduates of our high schools, our CTEs, our universities and colleges.

Mills Praises Senate President Jackson’s Bill to Provide Temporary Relief to Maine Workers

Augusta, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills announced today her support of emergency legislation sponsored by Maine Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Allagash) to provide temporary relief to workers impacted by the shutdown of the federal government and called on the State Legislature to quickly pass the measure and send it to her desk to sign into law.