Gov. Janet Mills (D) has proposed elevating the Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) to a cabinet-level department as part of her upcoming biennial budget proposal.
In a press release published Thursday, Gov. Mills suggested that establishing a Maine Department of Energy Resources “would allow for a more integrated, comprehensive, and consistent approach to the planning and management of Maine’s energy system, helping Maine more effectively prioritize affordable and reliable energy for all Maine people and businesses.”
According to her statement, making this move would be a “budget neutral initiative.”
Mills goes on to explain that Maine is one of only a few states to have an energy office located within the governor’s office, while more than 40 have cabinet-level energy offices.
Should this proposal be approved by lawmakers, the Department would serve as Maine’s designated state energy office, which Mills says is a role that is currently being filled by the GEO.
The Department would be responsible for the same core duties as the GEO while simultaneously gaining additional authority to “conduct competitive energy procurements to achieve Maine’s electric demand and reliability needs.”
Mills indicates in her Wednesday press release that if the Legislature approves the proposal, the GEO would transition to a cabinet-level department by the end of the year.
As with other cabinet-level departments, the Department of Energy Resources would be led by a commissioner appointed by the governor and confirmed by the appropriate committee and members of the Legislature.
Mills notes in her statement that House Republicans put forward similar legislation in 2017 to remove the Energy Office from the governor’s office and establish an energy seat in the cabinet.
“Energy plays an essential role in our daily lives and significantly impacts our economy, but it is not represented as a cabinet-level office here in Maine like it is in nearly every other state,” said Mills.
“Maine faces many energy-related challenges, including high costs, price volatility, aging and inefficient infrastructure, increasingly severe weather, and an over-reliance on expensive, imported fossil fuels,” Mills said. “By transitioning the Energy Office to a Department, we can strengthen our ability to bring down the cost of energy, ensure that our energy infrastructure is strong and reliable for all Maine people, and have a greater say in our energy future.”
“Transitioning to a standalone department will strengthen the work of the Governor’s Energy Office by ensuring a more durable and integrated structure that is able to take a comprehensive approach to energy planning and policy,” said Dan Burgess, Director of the GEO. “By designating a cabinet seat focused solely on energy issues, Maine will be in a stronger position to deliver more affordable energy, advance our energy goals, and grow the state’s economy.”
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="33943 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=33943">9 Comments
Just a way for Mills to spend more money on the party faithful .
Fat paying jobs for her friends .
Maine HAS MORE commissions , and offices “ of “, than we have chickadees .
IT IS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL IN AUGUSTA .
IT IS THE DEMOCRATS FAULT .
This group of propaganda echoes for the democrat party are just young wide-eyed, not ready for prime time, barely able to speak, mindless mockingbirds. This pack of climate groupies are destroying Maine with too much power allotted them now. The GEO needs to be abolished and quickly within this legislative session. Grab some balls, Republicans and shut this illegitimate agency down. And take a good look at EMT and their quarter of a billion dollar budget also.
“gaining additional authority” There you go, the real reason behind this charade. Someone else to blame when this shit show falls apart.
Janet Mills doesn’t speak that eloquently .
Chat GPT writes ALL THE STUFF that comes out of her mouth and from all these “ commissions .
So what is the point of all these state pencil pusher jobs .
Hey Elon ….come on up here and I’ll buy you a lobster dinner .
Just more wasteful BS from Heil Harris, like we don’t already have enough BS to deal with out of Augusta! Obama was right when he said “elections have consequences!” And we are dealing with Mills.
“If the Governor’s budget proposal is passed by the Maine Legislature, GEO would transition to a department by the end of this year. ”
This must be removed from budget proposal. The GEO must be abolished
Look beyond the establishment of a Cabinet-Level Department of Energy. Sounds to me like the governor is trying to solidify her position on offshore wind projects! President Trump has already stated that he does not and will not support offshore wind projects! In fact he’s going to outlaw them his first week in office. President Trump knows what the rest of the nation knows. Off shore wind projects are the most expensive way to generate energy and the least effective. The wind turbines are destroying our environment and killing whales. Governor Mills is ignoring all the research and science that points away from wind projects! What makes more sense to me is RECALL the GOVERNOR! We need smarter people in office to run our state government! Maine is heading in the wrong direction!
Benny Weaver
“IT IS THE DEMOCRATS FAULT .”
Not entirely. The yellow stain spineless backstabbing reDumblicans aren’t putting up any resistance. And RINOs don’t give me any of that crap about being in the minority. When you were in the majority you fought LePage tooth and nail. At least the commie demoKKKrats will smile and stab us in the front. A pox on all your houses.
With the NRCM, the Sierra Club, the Conservative Law Foundation, solar developers, wind developers and the democrat and republican bobbleheads of the legislature, who needs a GEO. Abolish it and save some budget money.