This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.
You know, the devastating storms we endured in December 2023, and January '24, and the spring of '24, demonstrated just how vulnerable our people, businesses, and communities are to serious flooding, storm surge, heavy winds, and lashing rains.
Recovering from that historic damage takes time, which is why this week, I announced the final measures of storm relief to support businesses and nonprofits as they rebuild still from those storms.
Last year I proposed, and the legislature approved, $60 million in state funds for storm relief. That's the largest single investment in storm recovery by any administration in Maine history. So far, we've used that funding to rebuild nearly 70 working waterfronts, and repair infrastructure in about 40 communities, and provide financial relief to 170 businesses and nonprofits.
This week, I announced that we're distributing the final $2 million of those funds to 40 businesses and nonprofits, the second and final round of our Business Recovery and Resilience Fund. This will allow them to rebuild and to be ready for the storms we know are coming.
Luke's Boatyard in East Boothbay has been providing repair services to boaters for more than 80 years. They said that this grant is helping them “literally rebuild our future.”
Our entire state has to prepare for the extreme weather events of the future which we can expect. That's why last year I created the Maine Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission. I asked the experts who are on that commission to help develop a long-term preparedness plan for our state. And after talking directly with municipal leaders, and county emergency management folks, and engineers, and members of the public at large, the Commission released its Interim Report in November.
Based on those interim recommendations, I introduced major bipartisan legislation in January. That bill will strengthen the ability of Maine communities, homeowners, businesses, and emergency responders to be prepared for severe storms. And that bill does not use any General Fund dollars. We're not raising taxes. LD 1, An Act to Increase Storm Preparedness for Maine's Communities, Homes, and Infrastructure, is sponsored by Senate President Mattie Daughtry, House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart, and House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham. I thank them for their support, and I urge the full legislature to advance and enact LD 1 as soon as possible so that I may sign it into law.
Look, we can't really predict the future. But as our businesses, nonprofits, and communities recover from past storms, we can make sure that they're ready for all the storms ahead.
This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.