MEASURE TO LOWER ENERGY COSTS THROUGH IMPROVED EFFICIENCY RECEIVES PUBLIC HEARING
Senator Boyle sponsors bill to support Efficiency Maine Trust
AUGUSTA- Senator Jim Boyle (D-Gorham) will introduce a measure to lower energy costs for Maine families and businesses by ensuring that funding is available for cost-effective energy efficiency projects, including weatherization and heating system conversion.
“Mainers are facing tough economic times,” said Senator Boyle. “Lowering energy costs is crucial to supporting our small businesses and Maine families.”
The measure would provide more funding for energy efficiency by improving the funding system for Efficiency Maine.
The Efficiency Maine Trust was established in 2009 to assist Mainers in saving energy and money, while simultaneously achieving the state’s environmental and economic goals. The trust is funded partly from money received from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and partly from a small charge on electricity use, called the system benefit charge, which currently requires an act of the Legislature to change.
Senator Boyle’s bill would bring the adjustment of the system benefit charge in line with that of other states by allowing the Public Utilities Commission to determine the benefit charge.
Other states already spend more per capita on energy efficiency than Maine. In fact, Maine currently makes the lowest per capita investment in energy efficiency in New England.
“For every dollar Efficiency Maine invests in efficiency projects there is a $2.58 return to the Maine economy,” said Senator Boyle. “Experts know more about this than politicians in the legislature, and therefore should be the ones making decisions about investments.”
Maine spends more than $5 billion a year on energy costs and it is estimated that 20 to 40 percent of the energy consumed in Maine is wasted due to inefficiencies in homes and businesses, leading to higher electric bills.
Efficiency Maine provides incentives to homeowners and small business owners to become more energy efficient, and to transition to alternative and affordable clean energy sources, such as replacing older heating systems with more effective, efficient systems.
Senator Boyle’s bill will also direct Efficiency Maine to spend up to 35 percent of its RGGI funds for heating system conversion projects.
“There are commonsense solutions to lowering Maine energy costs,” said Senator Boyle. “Weatherizing homes and businesses is part of the answer and converting old, fossil fuel dependent heating systems is another.”
The public hearing for the bill, LD 1426, “An Act To Improve Maine’s Economy and Lower Energy Costs through Energy Efficiency,” will be Tuesday, April 30 at 1:00 p.m. before the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee in room 211 of the Cross Building.
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