Maine Passes Act Creating "One-Stop Shop" for Energy Consumers
On June 12, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed An Act Regarding Maine's Energy Future (LD 1485), an emergency measure that sets aggressive goals to end the state's dependency on foreign fuels.
The act establishes the Efficiency Maine Trust and Board, consolidating Maine's energy rebate, efficiency, and conservation programs. The board will administer and integrate energy efficiency, weatherization, and alternative energy programs for all energy consumers in Maine.
In addition, the law sets goals to:
- Weatherize all residences and 50 percent of businesses by 2030
- Reduce peak electric energy consumption by 100 megawatts by 2020
- Reduce the state's consumption of liquid fossil fuels by at least 30 percent by 2030
- Create private sector jobs in clean energy businesses
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of the environment and human health.
The act also established a fund to build and rehabilitate affordable housing, making such housing more energy efficient, affordable, and available.
"With this law, Maine will send fewer energy dollars out of the state, we'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and we'll create thousands of jobs for Maine workers," Baldacci said.
For more information, see the governor's June 12 press release and the act.
To read more about renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Maine, see:
- Maine news published on the EERE Web site.
- Brief project descriptions from the Maine Energy Office published in the EERE State Energy Program newsletter, Conservation Update.
- Maine publications listed in the EERE State Publications Database.