Bills line up changes to Efficiency Maine funding
Two partisan bills are before lawmakers that would revise how Efficiency Maine Trust funds are spent.
A bill printed Tuesday falls in line with Gov. Paul LePage's previously outlined vision for curtailing Efficiency Maine's focus on weatherization and heating efficiency and directing some of the trust's funds to initiatives to lower energy costs for Maine homeowners and businesses. The trust is funded with revenue generated by a regional cap-and-trade program to reduce carbon emissions.
The Bangor Daily News reported the bill, sponsored by Rep. Larry Dunphy, R-Embden, would direct some Efficiency Maine funds to help residents and businesses convert from oil to cheaper heating sources like wood pellets and natural gas.
The paper reported the proposal — LD 1425 — would also use some of the trust's revenue for electricity rebates to some businesses and industries that were not specified.
A competing proposal from Sen. James Boyle, D-Gorham, would have heating fuel wholesalers voluntarily contribute to the trust to help make up for stimulus funding that ended last year.
Efficiency Maine Executive Director Michael Stoddard told the paper that he opposes reducing his organization's spending on energy efficiency projects, but was pleased the LePage proposal still includes some level of funding for those efforts.
Democrat Sen. John Cleveland, co-chair of the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, told the paper that the committee is likely to produce a combined committee bill rather than emerge with support for either of the partisan proposals.
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