Community Announcements
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Recent Community News
Mitchell Bridge Closure in Scarborough
Mitchell Bridge Closure in Scarborough | Maine Department of Transportation Home Skip to top navigation Skip to side navigation Skip to content Skip to footer Mitchell Bridge Closure in Scarborough 8/26/2025 SCARBOROUGH – The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing the Mitchell Bridge on Mitchell Hill Road at the town line between Gorham & Scarborough on September 2 for up to 45 days for a culvert replacement project. There will be signage along the detour route. The detour uses Holmes Road, Beech Ridge Road, County Road/Route 22, and Burnham Rd. The anticipated completion date for this project is October 24. The contractor on this project is T. Buck Construction, Inc. of Turner, Maine. The contract amount is $940,000.
Spurwink Bridge Work in Cape Elizabeth
Spurwink Bridge Work in Cape Elizabeth 8/29/2025 CAPE ELIZABETH - The Maine Department of Transportation will begin work on the Spurwink Bridge for a bridge wearing surface replacement project starting on September 2. Work is expected to be completed by the end of October 2025. The bridge and adjacent approach roadway will be reduced to one 12’ wide lane. Drivers should expect one-way alternating traffic that will be controlled with temporary traffic signals. The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson of Richmond, Maine. The contract amount for this project is $320,000.
Route 113 Daytime Closures
Route 113 Daytime Closures 8/29/2025 MAINE/NEW HAMPSHIRE - From September 8 to November 14, the Maine Department of Transportation will close Route 113 through the White Mountain National Forest to all vehicles from 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. on weekdays for a cable guardrail replacement project. The project area begins just south of the Spruce Hill Trail parking area and extends south to the Brickett Place. This project is expected to be completed by this fall. Bicyclists and pedestrians may continue to use the entirety of Route 113. Bikers and pedestrians will need to use caution when approaching a work zone and follow the flagger’s instructions. Onsite signage will be updated regularly to show which sections of Route 113 are closed to vehicles. All through traffic intending to use Route 113 should seek an alternate route between the hours of 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. Maine drivers should use Route 5 and New Hampshire drivers should use Routes 16 and 302 as an alternative route. The contractor on this project is CA Newcomb & Sons of Carmel, Maine. The contract amount is $1,412,910.00. MaineDOT will provide updates on the project as needed via our website.
Portland Intersection Work on Brighton Avenue and Park Avenue
PORTLAND – The Maine Department of Transportation will begin work on intersections in Portland, Maine on September 2 for a mill and fill project with drainage and pedestrian safety improvements. The project area begins at the intersection Woodford Street and Brighton Avenue. The project area ends at the intersection of Deering Avenue and Park Avenue. Work is expected to be completed by June 2026. During construction this roadway will be reduced to one-way alternating traffic. This may impact commuter times during the construction period. The contractor on this project is Shaw Brothers of Gorham, Maine. The contract amount is $2,718,344.50.
Brunswick Overnight Ramp Closures
Brunswick Overnight Ramp Closures BRUNSWICK – The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing two ramps in Brunswick overnight on October 6, 2025, from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The southbound off ramp to Maine Street and the southbound on ramp from Route 196 East will be closed for maintenance. Closures will be clearly marked with signs and cones, and drivers should use the next available exit during this period. Drivers traveling to the southbound off ramp to Maine street should use the Route 196 West ramp. Drivers heading to the southbound on ramp from Route 196 East should use the Frank J. Wood Bridge. These closures are part of an ongoing highway rehabilitation project. The project covers an area that begins 0.17 miles east of Cushing Street and extends east for 3.02 miles, as well as 0.70 miles west of Old Bath Road and extending west for 3.39 miles. All local approaches and ramps are included in this work, which consists of pavement milling, hot mix asphalt overlay, and safety improvements. The contractor on this project is Coastal Road Repair of Westbrook, Maine. The contract amount is $15,544,396.25.
Upcoming Pleasant Avenue Crossing Bridge Closure in Scarborough
Upcoming Pleasant Avenue Crossing Bridge Closure in Scarborough | Maine Department of Transportation Home Skip to top navigation Skip to side navigation Skip to content Skip to footer Upcoming Pleasant Avenue Crossing Bridge Closure in Scarborough 8/27/2025 SCARBOROUGH - The Maine Department of Transportation is replacing the asphalt wearing surface and underlaying 30-year-old waterproofing membrane on the Pleasant Avenue Crossing Bridge starting on September 19. This bridge wearing surface replacement project will help reduce premature deterioration of the concrete deck below and improve ridability, safety, and mobility for the traveling public. Work is scheduled to be completed by October 31. During construction, the Pleasant Avenue Crossing Bridge on Pleasant Hill Road will be closed to traffic for two separate weekends between September 19 to October 27, from 6P.M. Friday evening until 6A.M. Monday morning. The weekends of the closures are still to be determined. There will be a 15 minute , 8 mile detour during these closures utilizing Route 77, Route 207, and US Route 1. Closures can change on very short notice depending on weather or other considerations. The contractor on this project is Wyman & Simpson, Inc. of Richmond, Maine. The contract amount is $272,000.00.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY – Acadia Gateway Center Tour
MEDIA AVAILIBILITY – Acadia Gateway Center Tour | Maine Department of Transportation Home Skip to top navigation Skip to side navigation Skip to content Skip to footer MEDIA AVAILIBILITY – Acadia Gateway Center Tour 9/03/2025 September 3, 2025 AUGUSTA- Representatives from the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), Maine Tourism Association, the National Park Service, and Friends of Acadia will be on hand Friday, September 5 to answer questions and introduce media to the Acadia Gateway Center. The Acadia Gateway Center (AGC) is an intermodal transit and welcome center that serves visitors to Downeast Maine and Acadia National Park. Visitor facilities include free day-use parking (300 spaces including 18 EV charging spaces and 10 oversized vehicle spaces), a bus stop for Island Explorer and commercial tour buses, and an 11,000-square-foot information center with park and regional tourism information, retail space, restrooms, and a waiting area. The Acadia Gateway Center opened to the public Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Attached are photos of the sign unveiling marking the opening. Who: Jarod Farn-Guillette, MaineDOT Amanda Pollock, National Park Service Tony Cameron, Maine Tourism Association TBD- Friends of Acadia What: Media tour of the Acadia Gateway Center When: Friday, September 5, 2025. 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Where: Acadia Gateway Center 42 Gateway Center Drive Trenton, Maine
Brunswick Overnight Ramp Closures for Cooks Corner
Brunswick Overnight Ramp Closures for Cooks Corner | Maine Department of Transportation Home Skip to top navigation Skip to side navigation Skip to content Skip to footer Brunswick Overnight Ramp Closures for Cooks Corner 10/07/2025 BRUNSWICK – The Maine Department of Transportation will be closing two ramps in Brunswick overnight on October 7, 2025, from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The off ramps from Route 1 Southbound and Route 1 Northbound leading to Cooks Corner will be closed for maintenance. Closures will be clearly marked with signs and cones. Drivers traveling northbound to Cooks Corner will have to access it from Maine Street to connect to Route 24. Drivers traveling southbound to Cooks Corner will have to use the previous exit to take New Meadow Road to connect to Bath Road to reach Cooks Corner. Drivers leaving Cooks Corner can access Route 1 through normal exits. These closures are part of an ongoing highway rehabilitation project. The project covers an area that begins 0.17 miles east of Cushing Street and extends east for 3.02 miles, as well as 0.70 miles west of Old Bath Road and extending west for 3.39 miles. All local approaches and ramps are included in this work, which consists of pavement milling, hot mix asphalt overlay, and safety improvements. The contractor on this project is Coastal Road Repair of Westbrook, Maine. The contract amount is $15,544,396.25.
ADA Compliance Sidewalk Project
ADA Compliance Sidewalk Project | Maine Department of Transportation 10/06/2025 RANGELEY/ANSON/STRONG/HARTLAND – Starting October 6, The Maine Department of Transportation will be performing work to make crosswalks ADA compliant in order to maintain a safe passage for pedestrians. The work for this project involves adjusting the height and slope of the sidewalks where needed to install yellow warning tiles called Detectable Warning Fields at various locations. Work is scheduled to be completed by October 25. The project location includes: Rangeley: Route 4 & Depot Street, Route 4 in front of Rangeley Inn, Route 4 & Richardson Street, Route 4 & Pond Street, Route 4 & Lake Street, Route 4 & Park Street, Route 4 & 16, Route 16 & High Street, Route 16 & School Street Anson: Route 16 & Willow Street, Route16 & 201A Strong: Route 145 & High Street, Route 145 in front of school Hartland: Route 23 & Mill Street, Route 23 & Commercial Street, Route 23 & Elm Street The contractor on this project is BMB Construction LLC of Brewer, Maine. The contract amount is $865,875.
Governor's Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Supplemental Highway Fund Budget Documents
Governor's Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Supplemental Highway Fund Budget Documents | Maine State Legislature Governor's Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Supplemental Highway Fund Budget Documents: 2026-27 Recommended Supplemental Highway Fund Budget Documents - Part A 2026-27Recommended Supplemental Highway Fund Budget Documents - Part B 2026-27 Recommended Supplemental Highway Fund Budget Documents - Language
132 R2 Bill Screening Results - Vote Detail By Subject
The provided content is a PDF file containing binary data, not plain text. Therefore, the full article text cannot be extracted. The document is identified by its URL and title as "132 R2 Bill Screening Results - Vote Detail By Subject" from the Maine State Legislature.
Governor's 2026-27 Supplemental General Fund Budget Documents
Governor's 2026-27 Supplemental General Fund Budget Documents | Maine State Legislature House ˇ House Home Speaker of the House Live House Video House Democrats House Republicans House Independents LegislativeOffices ˇ Legislative Council Office of the Executive Director Office of the Revisor of Statutes Legislative Information Office Office of Policy and Legal Analysis Office of Fiscal and Program Review Law and Legislative Reference Library Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability Calendar Committees ˇ Legislative Committees Testimony Submission Senate Committees House Committees Committee Hearings & Work Sessions Documents ˇ Bill Status Search Bill Text & Tracking Search 132nd Legislative Studies Document Database Search Additional Books and Documents Senate Resources Maine Revised Statutes Law and Legislative Digital Library Appropriations Cmte. Materials Leg. Council Schedule Info MemberResources EmployeeResources ApportionmentCommission Contact Us ˇ Testimony Submission Contact Form Job Opportunities About the Legislature General Information (800) 301-3178fax (207) 287-1580 E-mail: webmaster_legis Senators 3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0003 (800) 423-6900Secretary's Office: (207) 287-1540 E-mail: webmaster_senate Representatives 2 State House StationAugusta, ME 04333-0002 (800) 423-2900Clerk's Office: (207) 287-1400 Home Senate ˇ Senate Home Senate President Live Senate Video Senate Democrats Senate Republicans House ˇ House Home Speaker of the House Live House Video House Democrats House Republicans House Independents LegislativeOffices ˇ Legislative Council Office of the Executive Director Office of the Revisor of Statutes Legislative Information Office Office of Policy and Legal Analysis Office of Fiscal and Program Review Law and Legislative Reference Library Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability Calendar Committees ˇ Legislative Committees Testimony Submission Senate Committees House Committees Committee Hearings & Work Sessions Documents ˇ Bill Status Search Bill Text & Tracking Search 132nd Legislative Studies Document Database Search Additional Books and Documents Senate Resources Maine Revised Statutes Law and Legislative Digital Library Appropriations Cmte. Materials Leg. Council Schedule Info MemberResources EmployeeResources ApportionmentCommission Contact Us ˇ Testimony Submission Contact Form Job Opportunities About the Legislature General Information (800) 301-3178fax (207) 287-1580 E-mail: webmaster_legis Senators 3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0003 (800) 423-6900Secretary's Office: (207) 287-1540 E-mail: webmaster_senate Representatives 2 State House StationAugusta, ME 04333-0002 (800) 423-2900Clerk's Office: (207) 287-1400 Maine Constitution, Statutes and Law Maine Constitution, Statutes and Law Home Directory, Session Laws of Maine PDF Editions of Published Session Laws and Other Materials Session Laws of Maine Individual Files 1996-2010 Revisor Of Statutes Revisor Of Statutes Home About The Office of the Revisor Of Statutes Governor's 2026-27 Supplemental General Fund Budget Documents Governor's Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Unified General Fund Budget Documents Governor's Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Unified Highway Fund Budget Documents Governor's Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Supplemental Highway Fund Budget Documents Lists of Prior Bill Requests Lists of Requests for 132nd Legislature Publications Revisor Of Statutes Staff Document Search Governor's 2026-27 Supplemental General Fund Budget Documents Governor's Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Supplemental General Fund Budget Documents 2026-27 Recommended General Fund Supplemental Budget - Part A 2026-27 Recommended Supplemental General Fund Budget - Part B 2026-27 Recommended General Fund Supplemental Budget - Language 2026-27 Recommended General Fund Supplemental Budget Part T Maine Government Executive • Judicial • Agency Rules Visit the State House Tour Guide • Accessibility • Security Screening • Directions & Parking Email Senate • House • Webmaster
2025 Tier 2 Submit Software Release
The State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) announces that the 2025 Tier 2 Submit software has been released by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This software allows facilities with reportable quantities of hazardous materials to document and submit their reports electronically, through e-mail or on a thumb drive, as required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). This law is a requirement for facilities with 10,000 pounds of a hazardous material or 500 pounds or less of an Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) based on the chemical's Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ). This information is used by local first responders to assist them in identifying where there are chemical risks in their community and LEPC's in developing county emergency response plans. To access this free software please go to the following link: https://www.epa.gov/epcra/tier2-submit-software#download For more information on reporting or assistance in completing your reporting please contact you County EMA office or call the Maine Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-452-8735 or e-mail [email protected]. Contact: Faith [email protected]
2021 Tier 2 Software Released
The State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) announces that the 2021 Tier 2 Submit software has now been released by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This software allows facilities with reportable quantities of hazardous materials to document and submit their reports electronically, through e-mail or on a CD, as required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). This law is a requirement for facilities with 10,000 pounds of a hazardous material or 500 pounds or less of an Extremely Hazardous Substance based on the chemical's Threshold Planning Quantity. This information is used by local first responders to assist them in identifying where there are chemical risks in their community and LEPC's in developing regional response plans. To access this free software please go to the following link: http://www2.epa.gov/epcra-tier-i-and-tier-ii-reporting/tier2-submit-software For more information on reporting or assistance in completing your reporting please contact you County EMA office or call the Maine Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-452-8735 or e-mail [email protected]. Contact: Faith [email protected]
Corrected 2022 Tier 2 Software Released
The State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) announces that the 2022 Tier 2 Submit software has been released by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This software allows facilities with reportable quantities of hazardous materials to document and submit their reports electronically, through e-mail or on a CD, as required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). This law is a requirement for facilities with 10,000 pounds of a hazardous material or 500 pounds or less of an Extremely Hazardous Substance based on the chemical's Threshold Planning Quantity. This information is used by local first responders to assist them in identifying where there are chemical risks in their community and LEPC's in developing regional response plans. To access this free software please go to the following link: https://www.epa.gov/epcra/tier2-submit-software#download For more information on reporting or assistance in completing your reporting please contact you County EMA office or call the Maine Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-452-8735 or e-mail [email protected]. Contact: Faith [email protected]
20th Anniversary of the Maine-Montenegro National Guard State Partnership
Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening. Well, last week I was privileged to witness a group of multinational soldiers complete a joint military exercise known as the Common Challenge 2026. Up in the mountains of Montenegro, among the chatter of many nations, I listened to dignitaries and servicemembers comment on the success of the day, on the readiness for the mission, and on the grit and pride of that international team. My thoughts turned to Shakespeare, a bard of some four centuries ago, who could not have envisioned the future circumstances which we find ourselves in today, but who said prophetically and for all time: "the Readiness is all." Readiness indeed. Readiness is what I saw in Montenegro last week. Readiness for things known and unknown, unexpected and expected. I traveled there with Major General Diane Dunn and Maine National Guardsmen to Montenegro to observe that joint training mission and to meet with Montenegrin officials, military members, and citizens to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Maine's strategic partnership with Montenegro. I am the second governor to have visited Montenegro and celebrate this partnership. In 2006, Maine and Montenegro formed that partnership to share training and military expertise, as Montenegro became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. Both the state of Maine and the people of Montenegro have benefited through this shared knowledge, through team exercises, and through progress in this strategic partnership. Over the past 20 years, our servicemembers and Montenegrins have trained side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder, learning how to navigate challenging mountain terrain, practicing difficult search and rescue missions, confronting dangerously cold weather conditions, and defending the security of our respective regions. Montenegrin soldiers have traveled to Maine for engineering projects, and Maine National Guardsmen have traveled to Montenegro to respond to cyber-attacks on that country. While in Montenegro, Major General Dunn and I met with the Prime Minister and the President, Defense Minister, and Foreign Minister of the country to discuss the future of our relationship and the prospects for more collaboration. Collaboration in forestry research, in deep port uses, in trade, and in educational exchanges for the benefit of both regions. Maine, like Montenegro, for instance, has a deep ocean port, which is an important gateway for trade. We are tackling threats of cybersecurity and threats from severe weather caused by climate change, just as they are. We too have a thriving forest products industry that is at the heart of our economy. So I emphasized to the Montenegrins that Maine offers world-leading universities, community colleges, and private higher eds, who are all ready to work with Montenegro students to train the next generation of best and brightest leaders—broadening research and bolstering our mutual security. I am proud of our own Guard members and of their determination to reach outside their own boundaries and zones of operation and zones of comfort to assist the people of Montenegro in addressing cybersecurity threats, in training and in military preparedness, and in maximizing the potential for international collaboration and expertise. To properly commemorate the 20th anniversary of this bilateral commitment of the Maine National Guard and the Armed Forces of Montenegro, I've officially proclaimed September 17th as Montenegro-Maine Partnership Day, reaffirming our friendship with the leaders, the people, and the Armed Forces of Montenegro. Maine and Montenegro have contributed our human and physical resources to this effort, and our culture, our character, and our courage have combined for the common good of humanity and for the common peace of our nations. Maine and Montenegro are ready. This is Governor Janet Mills, and I thank you for listening.
Protecting Maine Through Stronger Infrastructure and Climate Resiliency
Protecting Maine Through Stronger Infrastructure and Climate Resiliency September 18, 2026 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.
Expanding Affordable Housing in Maine
Expanding Affordable Housing in Maine | Office of Governor Janet T. Mills Expanding Affordable Housing in Maine August 21, 2026 Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening. You know, we want every person at every stage of their life to be confident they can rent or buy a home that's the right size for their family and for their budget and be able to stay there as long as they want. No one should be afraid that a sudden rent increase will break their budget or that someone will buy the land right out from under them and raise rents. When Hidden Circle Mobile Home Park in Jay went up for sale, that's exactly what the residents were afraid of: someone hiking up the rent and eventually pushing people out of their homes. According to the 2024 data, nearly 10 percent of Maine people live in manufactured housing, including mobile home communities. Forty-five thousand people in Maine live in a mobile home park. Out-of-state companies have started buying up some of Maine's mobile home parks and then significantly raising rents, in some cases as high as 50 percent. And rent increases don't necessarily mean nicer parks either, no improvements necessarily. Corporations know that residents can't easily pick up their home and move it elsewhere, no matter how much the company neglects the park. As one resident in Jay said, "At one time, the park used to look nice. Now they've stopped that, and yet they have increased our rent. If this continues to have higher lot rent payments, then I'm not going to be able to live where I am." The buying up of mobile home parks by out-of-state entities is a nationwide trend, but here in Maine, we're doing something about it. Last year, we enacted the "Right of First Refusal" law, which requires that residents of a mobile home park be given a chance to purchase their park if they can put together a matching offer when it's put up for sale. That measure strengthened our 2023 "Opportunity to Purchase" law, which required that residents of a mobile home park be allowed to present a competitive offer to buy their park if it's put up for sale. Well, earlier this week, I visited Jay to celebrate the first residents to take advantage of our new "Right of First Refusal" law to purchase their park, instead of being left to the whims of an out-of-state buyer. Hidden Circle is now the 14th resident-owned manufactured home community in Maine. Resident-owned—isn't that great? In addition to financing from the Genesis Fund and Maine Community Foundation, Hidden Circle Mobile Home Community was able to make the $1 million purchase to protect these 31 lots with $310,000 as well from our Mobile Home Park Preservation Fund. My Administration and the Legislature dedicated $8 million in total in recent years to MaineHousing to create this Mobile Home Park Preservation Fund to assist residents in purchasing their own mobile home parks. With that funding, more than 900 homes are expected to be preserved across six parks from Brunswick to Bangor, Turner to Saco. Last month, nation-leading laws to further protect mobile home park residents took effect in Maine, including laws to limit rent increases, laws to make it easier to expand mobile home parks, and laws creating a way for mobile homeowners to obtain a mortgage—and that could save them hundreds of dollars every month in housing costs. I was proud to sign those bills into law earlier this year to protect residents in Jay and other towns across Maine from predatory, out-of-state companies. Now, the residents of Hidden Circle Park in Jay have control over how much rent to charge and how that money will be spent. They have control over their common infrastructure, and they can make improvements as they see fit. Well, we still have a lot more work to do to protect Maine people and mobile home parks from being exploited by companies who simply want to use them to extract a profit, but I am proud of how we worked together with the Legislature to preserve this vital form of housing for people in Maine. This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.
Expanding Local Food Production and Agriculture Education Across Maine
Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening. Well, you know, one of the lessons learned from the pandemic time was how dependent we are as a state and community on producers from other states and other countries for basic goods like food, textiles, and construction materials. It occurred to me that our growing season is too incredibly short for us to become as self-reliant as we should be. And after the pandemic disrupted markets and caused food shortages nationwide, we realized it was very important to have locally grown, fresh food right here in Maine and help our local farmers. So I used federal funding through my Jobs and Recovery Plan to provide grants to farmers to buy equipment to meet that higher demand for locally grown food, and I began to look for other ways to extend our growing season here in Maine. Well, one of the things you can do is to provide greenhouses to communities who are able to support them and help people of all ages learn how to grow their own food. I called on the Legislature to provide one-time funds through the state biennial budget to buy greenhouses for as many schools and communities as possible. That will strengthen our supply of local food and will teach kids and families to grow their own food and extend the growing season. The Legislature funded that proposal, and I'm proud to announce that we're now awarding grants to communities across Maine to expand their local food production and education programs through durable shared-use greenhouses. These grants were awarded through a competitive process. The organizations applied for them, and they include the Alfond Youth and Community Center in Waterville, where they're going to install a greenhouse to expand local food production and youth education. The Healthy Island Project in Stonington will use a greenhouse to increase access to fresh, locally grown food. And the Portland Community Squash will install a greenhouse to send more fresh produce home to low-income families and teach Portland Public School students how to grow their own food. Limestone Community School will install a greenhouse to expand their outdoor science program and provide students with hands on learning in nutrition, agriculture, and environmental science. And they'll run a student-run farmers market—I think that's great. Over the past eight years, my Administration has invested more than $60 million in Maine farms and local agriculture, supporting the purchase of locally grown food, helping farmers expand their operations and equipment, strengthening our food system, and keeping Maine's farming heritage thriving. You know, my grandparents were potato farmers in Ashland. I hope they would be proud that their granddaughter insisted that the state budget include a small amount of money for community greenhouses across the state. Sort of like the Victory Gardens of World War II and decades past, places where people of all ages can learn something about nutrition and how to grow lettuce, peppers, and parsley; where the older folks can teach the younger folks about the value of homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers and such and talk with each other in community. Where they can feel the joy of growing their own healthy food and appreciate what their neighbors are doing and appreciate their own Maine roots, the way I appreciate mine. Dave Mallett, one of my good friends, the singer who passed away last year, used to sing a very popular song: "Inch by inch, row by row. Gonna make this garden grow. All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground." Well, we're going to have everybody singing those songs in Maine in honor of Dave Mallett, and in honor of our agricultural heritage and the state of Maine's ability to become independent and self-reliant by community greenhouses. This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.
Continuing the Fight Against the Opioid Epidemic
Continuing the Fight Against the Opioid Epidemic | Office of Governor Janet T. Mills Continuing the Fight Against the Opioid Epidemic August 14, 2026 Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening. Over the five years leading up to 2019, more than 1,600 people in Maine died from drug overdoses. We were losing a person every day. About 8% of all babies in Maine were born substance-exposed—that's three each day. The life-saving drug Naloxone was not generally available. There were few treatment beds, and when someone was ready to get into recovery, even fewer treatment options were available if they didn't have health insurance. When I took office, I knew that what Maine had been doing for so many years just wasn't working. We needed a coordinated response that broke down the silos of government, set aside the stigma, and spoke out about every aspect of the opioid epidemic. I promised that we would put the full force of my Administration behind the families who lost loved ones, the businesses who lost employees, and all the communities that have been diminished by this public health crisis. So my first executive order, signed on my first day in office, fulfilled the will of the people of Maine and expanded MaineCare to more than 90,000 people. Today, nearly 40,000 people receive treatment for substance use disorder through MaineCare. Expanding health insurance was a critical first step to confronting the opioid crisis. I named Gordon Smith as my Director of Opioid Response, and I signed the second executive order with basic strategies and specific action steps. That order established a Prevention and Recovery Cabinet made up of commissioners from 14 government agencies and the Attorney General's Office and the Judicial Branch. We outlined key steps to preventing overdoses and deaths, including making Naloxone widely available statewide, and since early 2019, we've distributed more than 870,000 doses of Naloxone, which has saved thousands of lives. We then outlined steps to expand effective treatment and recovery measures, including training 250 recovery coaches and funding recovery coaches in ten emergency departments. Now we've trained more than 4,000 individuals as recovery coaches, and we've increased the number of certified recovery residences from 11 to 119. We've created youth recovery coaching programs in Hancock and Washington counties in the schools, creating peer-to-peer connections that can give a young person the hope to face the future. And we held statewide trainings and leadership conferences, which taught more than 400 youth how to create positive change in their communities. We created TreatmentConnection.com, a one-stop-shop for individuals seeking treatment that allows them to find out in real time what there is available for behavioral health services among more than 500 providers. Since that went live in 2025, TreatmentConnection has been used 8,000 times. We're also increasing good-paying jobs for people in recovery, rewarding businesses who understand the unique experiences of people in recovery. And we've created the Recovery Friendly Workplaces designation, a certification held by 86 businesses who employ nearly 25,000 people statewide. You know, we're not giving up on interdiction as well, making sure we take drugs off the street as much as possible to keep people from becoming addicted in the first place. My Administration is doing what we can in a responsible manner to stop deadly drugs from reaching Maine, to prevent substance abuse in the first place, to treat it when we can't prevent it, to set people on a lifelong path to recovery, and, above all else, to save lives. From January to June of this year, fatal overdoses decreased by nearly 9% in Maine. This is the fourth consecutive year of declining overdose deaths. And that's welcome news, but we know we can't be complacent. Every overdose is a tragic and, I believe, preventable loss of a valued life. So let's all recommit to supporting people as they start, stumble, or resume their recovery, and to responding to new phases of the opioid epidemic to save lives. This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.
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