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home > radio > maine news > news story Maine NewsTask Force Developing Energy Plan
A special legislative task force created to help Mainers with heating costs this winter met at the State House today to figure out what state resources are available, and what is still lacking. House and Senate leaders are still in the very early stages of putting together a bipartisan plan to help Mainers get through what promises to be a very expensive -- if not disastrous -- heating season. The first of five meetings of the Presiding Officers' Heat and Energy Emergency Task Force involved listening to state energy experts talk about the numerous heating assistance programs available to Mainers. "Our purpose this morning is to gather as much information as possible about what's out there to help Maine people deal with the very difficult time with energy and what the gaps are so that when we reconvene as a legislative body in a bipartisan way, we will have some answers for Maine people in addition to what is happening now in the forefront." Democratic Senate Majority Leader Libby Mitchell is a co-chair of the committee. Unlike the Governor's Pre-Emergency Energy Task Force, this new legislative panel hopes to put together a long term strategy for meeting the high cost of energy and generation. Democratic House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree is the committee co-chair.” We looked at this as a chance to start talking about in a public way a negotiation of a package that leaders could be on board with. Whether it's a bond package, whether it's LIHEAP needs, heating assistance needs for people who are not LIHEAP eligible, what are our schools and universities going to need..." Pingree said the first two meetings of the task force will be spent learning about the various aid and loan programs offered by the Maine State Housing Authority, the Finance Authority of Maine and the Public Utilities Commission and how much money those agencies think they will need this winter. "People have asked us when do we see these solutions coming into effect. I think that's the kind of the charge of this task force. If folks see a need for something prior to December, wherever we come into the 124th Legislature, we'll all talk about that and think seriously about when does the need need to be met." The governor says the state can use his plan to keep low-income Mainers warm through December and thereby avoid the cost of holding a special legislative session. And the panel has decided that won’t be needed. Ryan Low, Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Baldacci, summarized the governor’s plan, which includes new investments in weatherization, low-income heating assistance, or LIHEAP, alternative modes of transportation, voluntary alternative work schedules for state employees, business development, training and education. "Friday the governor announced a plan that amounts to about 12 and a half million dollars that we think addresses or that provides a short term solution to this to get us from now through December." The panel also heard from John Kerry, director of Maine’s Office of Energy Independence and Security, who presented a report that offers a more sustainable and affordable mix of energy resources. Kerry says he believes most Maine households will be able to make it to December without reaching out for assistance, but would begin to need considerable help around that time. "It's clear that we don't have the resources today to address all the needs of the people, and we don't have the infrastructure to address the needs of the people, whether it's LIHEAP, or the Maine State Housing Authority Funding, or even the efficiency Maine program for homes and businesses." The panel asked Kerry to determine the average cost of weatherizing a home, and how many of Maine's 477 thousand households are eligible for LIHEAP. There are still Funds available for low-interest loans for businesses and middle income families. In fact, Peter Merrill, Communications and Planning Director for Maine Housing, says his agency has only received 50 applications for a program prepared to support 500 loans. The panel expects to meet again during the week of September 8th.
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