Generate Key Takeaways Jan. 7—Gov. Janet Mills introduced her first bill of the new legislative session Tuesday with a proposal to help Maine respond to severe weather and the long-term impacts of climate change. Mills’ proposal, which is sponsored by legislative leaders from both parties, includes a grant program that would help residents make investments to safeguard their homes against extreme weather. It makes one-time investments in the Maine Emergency Management Agency and utilizes federal funds to establish a new state office to reduce storm damage and protect infrastructure. “This legislation, based on interim recommendations from the Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission, will improve the ability of Maine communities, homeowners, businesses, and emergency response leaders to plan for the extreme weather of the future — making Maine a safer and more prepared place to live,” Mills said in a written statement. Advertisement The legislation, LD 1, responds to recommendations from the commission, which Mills established last year following a series of winter storms that caused an estimated $90 million in damage to public infrastructure across the state. It is an emergency bill, which means it would take effect immediately if it is enacted. It uses federal funding and existing fee-based funding through the Bureau of Insurance and does not rely on general funds from the state budget, the governor’s office said. Commission Co-Chairs Linda Nelson and Dan Tishman said in a written statement that the legislation responds to some of the most pressing recommendations in their interim report, which the commission issued in November. “The bold action it proposes would improve emergency planning and communications and help homeowners, municipalities, and their local businesses to better withstand future extreme storms,” they said. “As the Commission works toward delivering the state’s first long-term infrastructure resilience plan in May, we urge the […]