Maine

June 18, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci released the following statement today after learning that Fraser Papers Inc. has initiated court-supervised restructuring.

“I talked with the CEO of Fraser Papers, Peter Gordon, last night, and he explained that the filing will allow the company the opportunity to reorganize and chart a path toward renewed success,” Governor Baldacci said. “Mr. Gordon assured me that the filing would not immediately impact the company’s operations in Madawaska or the employees there.”

According to Fraser Papers, the filing is the result of weak demand and low prices for pulp and lumber, scheduled debt payments and other obligations.    » read more »

June 17, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Surrounded by Legislators and public health advocates, Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today ceremonially signed three bills designed to combat the problem of obesity in Maine.

"This is a critical public health issue, especially when it comes to our children’s health," said the Governor. "Maine has the highest rate of obesity in New England. It’s estimated that 30 percent of our youth are overweight or obese.”

“We know that obesity and overweight are key contributors to serious medical conditions, generating high costs to our health care system,” said the Governor. “These bills will help us to continue to address reduce obesity, and thus the preventable diseases associated with it.”    » read more »

June 16, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today announced that the State of Maine will receive $6,524,500 in State Homeland Security Grant Program funds. The funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) support regional emergency planning, training and exercise programs, as well as maintenance costs for regional response teams and equipment. A portion of these funds is typically made available to communities under a competitive grant program.    » read more »

June 16, 2009 -- ROCKPORT - Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today opened the 2009 EnergyOcean Conference by talking about Maine’s commitment to renewable sources of energy.

“Maine is New England’s leader in developing its vast land-based wind resource,” Governor Baldacci said. “Maine has more than 300 megawatts currently operating or under construction, and another 450 in various stages of development. Our offshore wind resource is even larger, estimated at more than 100 gigawatts. That’s enough to power all of New England with power to spare.”    » read more »

June 15, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today issued the following statement on the decision of the Federal government to expand the Endangered Species Act in Maine for Atlantic Salmon. The rule includes the Androscoggin, Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers to the existing Endangered Species Act.

“I am deeply disappointed and concerned that the State’s comments to the draft rule were not incorporated in the final decision of the Federal government. This Federal action ignores Maine’s strong track record in species management and our need for a flexible approach which will enable us to use all our tools to work with stakeholders to manage Atlantic salmon.”    » read more »

Governor Pleased with Domtar Reopening in Baileyville

June 10, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today said he was pleased with the announcement from Domtar that the Woodland pulp mill in Baileyville will resume production the week of June 22, 2009, with plans to gradually call back all employees who had been laid off.

The Governor has maintained close contact with Domtar officials since the company announced the shutdown of the Baileyville facility in March. Governor Baldacci has worked closely with Tim Lowe, General Manager of Domtar, and other company officials.    » read more »

Governor and Legislature Celebrate Health Care Accomplishments

June 10, 2009 -- AUGUSTA - Maine Governor John E. Baldacci was joined today by State legislators, health care providers, organizations and supporters of health reform to celebrate the significant progress that has been made this session to improve Maine’s health care system.

Key initiatives that address cost, quality and access to health care have passed this session. Taken together, these bills will help advance the broad goals of the original Dirigo Health Reform to make affordable, quality health care available to all Mainers and to work to make Maine the healthiest state.    » read more »

June 10, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today ceremonially signed LD 1127, An Act To Define Services for Maine Runaway and Homeless Youth.

The law establishes a comprehensive program for homeless youth and runaways. The Department of Health and Human Services will enter into performance-based contracts with agencies and organizations to provide street and community outreach, drop-in programs, emergency shelter and transitioning living services. Monitoring will be in place to ensure quality and track rates of homelessness.

“This is a very important and efficient piece of legislation,” Governor Baldacci said. “It provides the oversight while continuing to provide the resources. The law enables us to better address homelessness among our youth.”    » read more »

Snowe Welcomes Domtar Decision to Restart Pulp Production at Woodland Facility in Baileyville

June 10, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today released the following statement in response to the announcement from Domtar that the company will reopen its Woodland Facility in Baileyville and begin pulp production on June 22, 2009:    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today released the details of his plans to close a projected revenue decline for the remaining two months of fiscal year 2009.

“Last month, I signed into a law a State budget that reduced spending by $500 million and that made important structural changes to Maine’s government,” Governor Baldacci said. “The budget also left us in a position to deal with the further erosion of State revenue for the current year. When we passed the budget, we knew that our work wasn’t done. We will continue to meet the challenges before us and take responsible actions to ensure that State has a balanced budget.”    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci and Maine Technology Institute (MTI) President Betsy Biemann today announced that the MTI Board of Directors has approved a total of $25 million in awards to 16 applicants across Maine. Legislators and representatives from organizations receiving the awards attended the State House event to release the list.

“The Maine Technology Asset Fund illustrates Maine’s strong commitment to stimulating the State’s innovation economy and expanding the infrastructure that supports high-tech research and development,” Governor Baldacci said. “These projects will leverage another $40 million investment into the Maine innovation economy.”    » read more »

June 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Maine Governor John Baldacci joined Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Representatives Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree at a meeting with Energy Secretary Steven Chu this morning at the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. to propose a National Deepwater Offshore Wind Research Center to be operated by the University of Maine.

Dr. Habib Dagher, UMaine Professor and Director of the Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center, also attended the meeting in Secretary Chu’s office.

After the meeting, the Governor and Congressional Delegation issued the following statement:    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today signed LD 1465, An Act To Facilitate Testing and Demonstration of Renewable Ocean Energy Technology. The Governor’s bill, sponsored by Senator Barry Hobbins, establishes a streamlined permit process for companies that want to test promising new renewable ocean energy technologies in appropriate sites in the Gulf of Maine. Up to five such sites will be selected by Dec. 15, 2009.    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Susan Collins today announced that she has introduced legislation to to provide efficient, cost effective, improved health care throughout the country, especially in underserved rural communities, such as Maine. Senator Collins introduced the legislation along with Senator Maria Cantwell, (D-WA) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

The Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act would address two fundamental problems in health care: a critical shortage of primary care physicians and inefficient Medicare reimbursements that do not reward a coordinated approach of patients' health care needs.    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today ceremonially signed LD 844, An Act To Reduce Costs for Customers of Northern Maine Consumer Owned Utilities. The law allows consumer-owned electric utilities in northern Maine to sell their excess electricity.

“Having this ability to sell excess electricity will enable the utility to offset operational costs and thus save consumers money,” Governor Baldacci said. “My Administration has been looking for some time to connect Aroostook County to the rest of the New England grid. In the interim, this is a common-sense way to ensure that utilities in The County can reduce costs to consumers.”    » read more »