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May 19, 2011

Bill would scrap green energy benchmark

By The Mainebiz News Staff

Gov. Paul LePage has proposed rolling back a state requirement that increases the amount of electricity derived from renewable sources.

The Legislature in 2007 passed the requirement to raise the power generated through green sources by 1% a year through 2017, in order to reduce the state's reliance on fossil fuels and encourage renewable energy investment, according to the Bangor Daily News. LePage's bill, introduced last week, would scrap that requirement as a way to cut Maine's electricity prices, Ken Fletcher, director of the Office of Energy Independence and Security, told the paper. Eliminating the 1% annual increase would save consumers $42 million by 2017, he estimated.

Several construction businesses, including Reed & Reed, spoke out against the bill, saying it would result in lost jobs and discourage business investment. Wind power advocates also opposed the measure, listing 200 Maine companies with a financial interest in wind and ocean-based power, according to the paper. Fletcher said allowing Maine ratepayers to buy green energy will continue to drive the renewable energy market, preserving those jobs.

A work session on the bill is scheduled for Friday.

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