Governor Mills Declares State of Civil Emergency for Coastal Counties Impacted by Flooding; Urges Maine People to Prepare for Coming Storm

Press Release

"Significant rain, wind, and flooding have once again ravaged our state -- this time our small communities up and down the coast. The damage we are seeing is devastating, from working waterfronts, to small businesses, to public roadways and more.

We will continue to work closely with local officials to assess and repair damage as quickly as possible and to seek any and all available Federal support. I urge Maine people -- especially those along our working waterfronts -- to report their damage. My Administration will use this information and other estimates collected by MEMA to request a Disaster Declaration from President Biden as soon as possible, which, if granted will help unlock important Federal funding to support our recovery.

MEMA and its partners will continue to monitor the impacts of this storm and make preparations for Saturday's weather event. I strongly urge Maine people to follow the direction of local emergency officials to protect themselves and their property to the greatest extent possible. Remember, it is never safe to walk through flowing water, drive through flooded areas, or drive around road barriers.

One thing is abundantly clear: these extreme weather events are becoming more and more common, which means Maine and Maine people will continue to feel the impacts of them in the months and years ahead. In the wake of last month's and yesterday's storms, and in anticipation of those to come, we must have a serious conversation as a state about action we can take to ensure our state and communities are prepared for and more resilient to the impacts of these weather events."

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