Jan. 12 -- More than 40 American states have energy offices with Cabinet-level leadership and, all going well, Maine will join them this year.

It's hard to name a more challenging, time-intensive and, lately, changeable policymaking brief than energy. It is an area of focus that deserves just that, sole focus, and the appointment of a department head and the consolidation of certain work and duties (competitive energy procurements, to give one example).

The proposal, part of Gov. Janet Mills' latest biennial budget, is reportedly revenue-neutral; a new, standalone energy department won't require any more of an annual operating budget than the existing Governor's Energy Office already has -- a budget that has swelled quite a bit in recent years due to tens of millions of dollars in federal funding and grant support. The cabinet level is where this responsibility, growing in importance every year, should lie. Making this change also makes leadership more accountable to the voting public. This is no symbolic move.

Preliminary support for the governor's proposal was robust last week; the director of the Energy Office (praising the proposal for "a more durable and integrated structure that is able to take a comprehensive approach to planning and policy"), the co-chairs of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, and the president and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce each gave their own votes of confidence. This is ours.