ENERGY EFFICIENCY BOND INTRODUCED AND SUPPORTED
$30 million bond would button up nearly 70,000 Maine homes and save 100 million gallons of heating oil
AUGUSTA – A $30 million bond that would accelerate efforts to increase energy efficiency and help Mainers lower their heating costs received strong support at a public hearing in the state’s Appropriations Committee today.
Sen. Dawn Hill of York
The bill, LD 1341, “An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Improve Maine’s Housing Stock and Reduce Heating Costs and Oil Consumption,” would allocate $23 million to leverage private funds on at least a 2-to-1 basis to modernize the state’s market rate housing stock through improvements in weatherization and energy efficiency such as insulation, reducing air leaks and upgrading the efficiency of heating equipment, from wood pellets to heat pumps to traditional fuels. Additionally, the bond would provide $7 million to rehabilitate and modernize the state’s low-income housing stock.
“There are too many homes out there that are literally leaking heat and too many Mainers are throwing their money away trying to heat these inefficient homes,” said Assistant Democratic Leader Dawn Hill of York, the sponsor of the bond. “Weatherizing more homes is one of the most cost-effective things we can do as a state to lower heating costs. It is critically important we ensure less energy is wasted–but that’s a challenge that will take persistent and long term efforts.”
A Critical Insights poll shows 70 percent of likely voters support a proposed $30 million bond to improve the energy efficiency of 30,000 Maine homes. The March 2015 poll shows support for the bond was high across geographic and demographic categories, with majority support from every region, income group, age and political party.
According to Sen. Hill’s testimony, Maine has some of the oldest housing stock in the country with roughly half of the homes built before 1950. Additionally, Maine has the highest percentage of homes that heat with oil.
“These wonderful old Maine homes are a part of the history and the fabric of our state–but let’s keep the people who live there warm,” added Senator Hill.
During the public hearing, the bond was supported by Michael Stoddard from the Efficiency Maine Trust, Dylan Voorhees from the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and the Maine Association of Building Efficiency.
This year alone, Efficiency Maine will lower the heating costs for 10,000 homes.
The Appropriations Committee will be holding a work session on the bill, LD 1341, “An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Improve Maine’s Housing Stock and Reduce Heating Costs and Oil Consumption,” in the coming weeks. If approved, the bond measure will go to the voters of Maine for their approval.
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