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

Well, with the Gulf of Maine having some of the strongest and most consistent winds in the entire world; and with Maine’s deepwater port assets; with our proximity to international markets, and with the University of Maine’s extensive research and offshore wind technology, our state is poised to seize the economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind.

For more than two years, my Administration has been considering the potential options for an offshore wind port. We have consulted with hundreds of interested parties. We have evaluated options thoroughly and objectively, recognizing that each site has its own set of benefits and its own set of drawbacks.

In carefully considering all of the pros and cons, I announced earlier this week that Sears Island is the State’s preferred site for offshore wind infrastructure.

Now, this wasn’t an easy decision. We were looking at both Sears Island and Mack Point as parts of the Port of Searsport. But we think Sears Island makes the most sense, and here’s why.

First of all, the parcel of land on Sears Island is already owned by the State, so both the upfront and the ongoing costs to the people of Maine will be substantially less than if we were to pursue Mack Point.

Secondly, Sears Island has the physical characteristics that are required for operating a port facility for floating offshore wind: a large unencumbered area with deepwater access. Mack Point, on the other hand, has an irregular shape and its competing uses make it, in my view, largely impracticable for the purpose of a port.

Thirdly, the Sears Island parcel will minimize impacts from southerly winds and seas, while providing safe shelter for the smaller vessels necessary to service the port. That port will offer the most direct approach in and out of the Searsport navigation channel and allow the existing docks at Mack Point to continue accommodating vessels necessary to serve Maine’s businesses and consumers.

Fourthly, the Sears Island parcel is not expected to require dredging, so less damage to the environment, while Mack Point on the other hand would require dredging in order to render sufficiently deep water to service a port.

And, finally, the parcel of land on Sears Island has been expressly designated for the purpose of development for a marine transportation facility since 2009. So this proposed use is consistent with that purpose, and it respects the longstanding agreement to conserve the majority of the island for outdoor recreation and wildlife habitat.

Now, many people enjoy exploring Sears Island, and many are passionate about preserving it exactly as it exists now.

I understand their sentiments. I have hiked the island myself and I’ve circumnavigated it by boat. I recognize the historic and cultural value of Sears Island.

But in weighing the pros and cons, I believe the state-owned parcel on Sears Island is the best, least expensive, and least environmentally damaging option and it will unlock significant economic and clean energy opportunities for all the people of Maine.

In the coming months, the MaineDOT will be applying for federal and state permits. If approved, Sears Island will become the home of a world-class facility for the fabrication, staging, assembly, maintenance, and deployment of offshore wind technology. And 2/3rds of the island will remain a recreational and ecological location of world class standing.

The offshore wind industry is expected to generate as much as $1 trillion in worldwide investment by 2040.

The time has come to bring that investment to Maine, to create good-paying clean energy jobs, to generate renewable energy for our homes and businesses, and to stabilize and reduce our energy bills over the long term.

My Administration will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the state to seize upon the economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind, particularly floating offshore wind, for all of our state.

And, the Port of Searsport — once one of the most important ports of the entire eastern seaboard — will rise again to become a thriving hub of commerce of world-renowned stature.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

This week, I signed bipartisan legislation to ensure that the Independent Commission examining the Lewiston tragedy has the authority it needs to conduct a thorough investigation.

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

Days after the tragedy in Lewiston last fall, I announced my intention to formally establish an independent commission of experts to determine the facts surrounding the October 25th shootings, including the months preceding those events and the police response to them.    

In November, I issued an executive order establishing that commission. To serve on that body, Attorney General Frey and I appointed seven nonpartisan experts with extensive legal, investigative, and mental health backgrounds. The Commission is chaired by Dan Wathen, a well-respected former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Court.  

In our appointment letter to the Members of the Independent Commission, Attorney General Frey and I asked the appointees only to follow the facts, wherever they may lead, in an independent and objective manner, biased by no one and guided only by the pursuit of truth.  

In that letter, Attorney General Frey and I told Commission members that our offices stood ready to help should they determine a need for additional investigative powers or resources to complete their work.  

At their first meeting, the Independent Commission formally requested subpoena power in order to obtain any documents and perhaps to compel witness testimony if needed as it conducts its work.    

Subpoena power requires statutory authority, so last month, Attorney General Frey and I introduced legislation to grant subpoena power to the Independent Commission.  

Well, I’m pleased to say that this week, the Legislature unanimously passed our legislation, and minutes after the bill was finalized, I signed it into law.

That legislation – to become an emergency measure – needed two thirds support from each body, each chamber of the Legislature. And it got that two thirds support. And so, the law took effect immediately upon my signature.  

The Independent Commission now has the power to issue subpoenas if needed.  

I want to thank the Legislature for their partnership on getting this important task done – especially the sponsors of the bill, who were very bipartisan: Senate President Troy Jackson, Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart, House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, and House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham.  

Now the Independent Commission has an additional and powerful tool as they continue their work to determine the complete facts and circumstances surrounding the tragedy in Lewiston last October. The families of the victims, and those who were injured, and the people of the Maine and the nation deserve no less.  

To learn more about the Independent Commission and its work, you can visit their website at maine.gov/icl. That’s Maine.gov/icl.

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

WHEREAS, the speaking of French is an expression and affirmation of a people's cultural identity; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine is named after the Province of Maine in France, and the towns of Paris and Calais owe their names to the capital city of France and the French port city of Calais, respectively; and

WHEREAS, more than one third of the population of Maine is of French and Canadian descent and Franco-Americans in Maine have contributed much to the beauty and quality of this State; and

WHEREAS, invasive species can destroy Maine’s lakes and rivers, native trees and forests, plants and crops, impact the economy, pose risks to human health, impair infrastructure and impede transportation, water delivery systems, and energy production; and

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

Well, as you know, in December, a powerful storm brought to our state severe flooding, power outages, and extensive damage, especially in central and western Maine.

In the wake of that storm, I asked President Biden to formally declare a Major Disaster Declaration in order to unlock Federal funding that can help our state recover and rebuild.

As part of that request, I asked the President to approve what is known as “Individual Assistance” – it’s a fancy way of saying financial help for real people. This type of assistance can help you repair your house, replace your car, pay for a temporary place to stay, or replace furniture or belongings that were damaged, among other things.

Thankfully, the President approved my request, making funding available to folks in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset counties – those counties that were so hard hit by that storm in December. 

Now we want to make sure that folks who live in these counties know that they may be eligible for assistance, and we want to encourage them to apply.

As part of that effort, FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Agency – is sending Disaster Assistance Teams door-to-door, canvassing neighborhoods in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford and Somerset counties, helping affected residents to register for FEMA disaster assistance.

And, earlier this week, FEMA and the State of Maine officially opened two Disaster Recovery Centers – one in Skowhegan and one in Rumford, with more to come.

The Somerset County Center is located at 4 County Drive in Skowhegan, and the Oxford County Center is located at 145 Congress Street in the Municipal Building in Rumford.

At those locations, which are both open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., FEMA staff will be on hand to help you apply for Federal assistance. And business owners can also apply for low-interest loans to repair or replace property damage. 

If you live in one of the five counties and were affected by the storm, you can visit these centers, no matter which of those counties you live in. We also hope to work closely with FEMA to stand up more Disaster Recovery Centers to serve eligible families soon.

These centers are a great resource to get help in person, but you know, if you’re not able to visit one in person, you can also apply for help by calling the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362 – that’s 800-621-FEMA – or by visiting DisasterAssistance.Gov, or by downloading the FEMA app.

This is the first time since 2008 that Maine has actually qualified for federal assistance for individuals recovering from a natural disaster. If you suffered property damage during December’s storm, and these losses were not covered by insurance, please take advantage of this financial support. And make sure that any of your friends and family who were affected by the storm apply as well. No harm in trying.

In the meantime, the Maine Emergency Management Agency is continuing to work on the Major Disaster Declarations for the two storms that hit us so hard in January. If federal officials agree that the damage from those storms qualifies, I will certainly seek another Federal Disaster Declaration from President Biden for the January storms.

Please, if you incurred losses in the December storm, apply for federal assistance today.

This is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, Me. Const. Art. IX, § 10 confers upon the Governor the authority to consider the removal of an elected sheriff “upon complaint, due notice and hearing” if the sheriff is found to be “not faithfully or efficiently performing any duty imposed upon the sheriff by law”; and 

WHEREAS, 30-A M.R.S. § 441 authorizes county commissioners to submit complaints to the Governor to request the removal of a sheriff from office; and