In December and January, Maine sustained over $90 million in major damage from storms. On Tuesday, Gov. Janet Mills signed an executive order regarding adaptive infrastructure.
The order establishes the Maine Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission.
“Over the next 12 months, this commission will evaluate Maine’s response to the recent storms. It will identify near-term investments and policy needs. It will develop the state’s first long-term infrastructure plan by next May to make sure that we are as ready as we can be for the storms that are inevitable,” said Gov. Mills. “Commission members are ready to meet with local officials, business owners, and fishermen to learn about the community’s response to the storms and their future needs.”
The executive order coincides with the $60 million in storm recovery funding proposed by the governor and approved by the legislature.
Composed of individuals from the Departments of Transportation, Marine Resources, Economic and Community Development among others speaking directly to those affected, Mills hopes the commission can bring an interdisciplinary approach to a multifaceted issue.
“We’re drawing upon the expertise of people in all diverse occupations and backgrounds. It’s not an academic exercise, it’s a real life thing, and we expect to have some real life solutions to these real life problems,” Mills said.
The commission will report back to Mills in May 2025 with their findings.
-------------------------------------
Source: WABI.tv, Maine.gov
