The first bill of Maine’s 132nd Legislature is a governor’s bill aimed at implementing the recommendations from the Maine Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commissions established in response to this past winter’s devastating storms.
The proposed legislation has been cosponsored by both the Republican and Democratic members of the State Legislature’s leadership.
If approved, this bill would establish a new grant program for homeowners, as well as a fund to improve disaster communications and provide matching funds for federal disaster programs.
This legislation would also create the State Resilience Office to support efforts to reduce damage from severe storms and floods. Under this new office would be the Flood-Ready Maine Program which would be responsible for modernizing flood risk data and improving communication concerning the risk of flooding.
The Home Resiliency Program would “provide grants to homeowners for the purpose of performing home resiliency projects designed to make a home more resistant to damage from severe weather events.”
Exactly what projects would qualify for funding under this program would be determined later via a rulemaking process.
This program would be funded by a one-time transfer of $15 million from the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation’s Special Revenue Funds account.
The Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Revolving Loan Fund would serve to “improve statewide and regional disaster communications systems, provide additional hazard mitigation capacity and provide matching funds from the State for 2 federal disaster programs.”
Using nearly $12 million in Special Revenue funds and Federal Expenditures funds, this program would support a number of initiatives, including:
- Investing $10 million for the State Disaster Recovery Fund to provide matching funds in order to help secure federal funding for current open disasters
- Establishing a new state fund to match the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) STORM fund seeded with $750,000 matching funds to leverage the competitive federal grant, as it requires 10 percent matching contributions
- Dedicating $800,000 for improved emergency communications systems, system training, and a two-year education project to support statewide implementation
- Hiring two new limited-period Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) staff members to administer the fund and implement communication system upgrades
This legislation would also establish a new State Resilience Office within the Maine Office of Community Affairs (MOCA) which, among other things, would be responsible for the Flood-Ready Maine Program.
The State Resilience Office would be initially funded by a roughly $9.6 million transfer from the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation’s Special Revenue Fund.
The newly created office would then be tasked with creating an “online community risk reduction data hub,” as well as updating flood maps, reducing community flood risk, and increasing participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.
In addition to its initial funding, an annual transfer will be made from the available balances of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation’s Special Revenue Fund.
The new office will also be required to make an annual report to the Bureau of Insurance and the appropriate joint standing committee of the Legislature.
Click Here to Read the Full Text of LD 1
“Last year, my Administration and the Legislature made the largest investment in storm recovery and resilience in Maine history,” Gov. Janet Mills (D) said in a statement Tuesday. “That funding was significant, but it’s clear that it was only a down payment on the critical recovery and resilience work Maine must do to prepare our people and communities for the storms we know will become more frequent and intense in the years ahead.”
“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,” said Gov. Mills.
“In my family, we always say ‘hope for the best, prepare for the worst,’” said Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland). “To quickly respond to increasingly intense and unpredictable climate-related disasters, we need a response plan in place before the devastation even occurs.”
“Our bipartisan Storm Preparedness bill (LD1) would create a permanent fund to ensure Maine people–especially those in our vital heritage industries–have the resources they need when disaster strikes,” Sen. Daughtry said. “I’m proud to support this proactive approach. Our fishermen, farmers and other hardworking Mainers face enough challenges–whether they can recover after devastating storms should not be one of them.”
“Extreme weather is a real and present challenge for Maine people and increasing the resilience of our infrastructure will be critical in the months and years ahead,” said House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford). “This proposal will help homeowners prepare their properties and guard against damage. Our homes are often the largest investments we make in our lifetimes, and this bill will help protect them.”
“Insurance companies pay money to Maine every year to operate in the state. This is a way to leverage those funds along with federal grant resources to invest in the resilience of our communities and bring our emergency communications infrastructure into the 21st century and in compliance with FCC rules,” said Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook).
“While there are some aspects of the bill that will need a little more work, helping homeowners bring down skyrocketing insurance costs through weatherization and resiliency projects is a good investment of funds that would otherwise remain idle,” Sen. Stewart said.
“A year ago, severe storms ravaged wharves and properties in my district and throughout the state,” said House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor).
“I am co-sponsoring this legislation because it will allow the people of my community and all of Maine to prepare their properties to withstand future storm damage and reduce their insurance premiums without drawing from the general fund by using funds from an existing agency program,” Rep. Faulkingham said.
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