Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.
Well, cold weather is upon us already, and we’re getting ready for heating season. Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy authorized the release of up to 315,000 barrels of fuel oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve. While we hope this action might ease prices for Maine people in the near term, it will not solve the long-term problem driving up heating costs.
The President's war in Iran right now has created the largest fuel supply disruption in global history and has driven energy prices to record highs. Maine is the most heating oil-dependent state in the nation, and the price of heating oil has now exceeded $6 a gallon. So if you own a standard 275-gallon oil tank, you'll be paying about $750 more to fill that tank than you did a year ago. Kerosene prices are also reaching historic highs, and diesel fuel, of course—all because of this war that is not supported by a majority of Americans.
Maine people should not be forced to choose between staying warm or putting food on the table because this President chose to drag us into a needless war with no endgame in sight.
My Administration is doing what it can to help people save money on heating costs and stay comfortable in their homes. It's not enough, but I've directed the Department of Health and Human Services to identify households that might be eligible for $40 million in discounts on their electric bills through Maine's Low Income Assistance Program.
Starting in November, thousands of eligible families who are customers of CMP or Versant will begin to see discounts ranging from 20 percent to 80 percent applied automatically every month to their electric bills. Families who already get federal assistance for home heating oil will also receive automatic discounts on their electric bills. This will ensure maximum savings without unnecessary paperwork. Contact your electric company directly with questions about that discount.
I've also called on Congress to increase funding for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, and I want to thank Maine's entire congressional delegation for their bipartisan support of this funding—despite the President's attempts to eliminate the program. Of course, that's just not enough to make up for the skyrocketing costs driven by the President's war. Congress has to ensure the safety and comfort of Maine families heading into this winter season by increasing federal funding for LIHEAP.
In the meantime, MaineHousing has already distributed about $4 million to heating fuel companies for some of our most vulnerable households, households with older adults on small incomes or households with small children. Those trucks have already begun delivering fuel to those homes.
Thankfully, because of our investments over the years in energy efficiency and clean energy, our state’s reliance on heating oil has fallen from 70 percent of Maine households in 2010 to just over 50 percent now. We’ve got to do more, though.
My Administration will continue to make it as affordable as possible to transition to clean energy sources like heat pumps, to save people money, and make sure our households are not left in the cold.
If you’re interested in exploring heat pumps or using wood or propane to heat your home instead of oil or kerosene, or if you’re curious about energy assistance programs and weatherization. If you need contact information for local CAP agencies or MaineHousing, our Winter Heating Guide, published by the Maine Department of Energy Resources, has all that information, as well as helpful tips about winterizing and saving money, contact information, and links to online resources. You can view and download that Winter Heating Guide and review the latest heating fuel prices at www.Maine.gov/Energy.
This crisis affects all of us – low income, middle income, homeowners and renters alike, everyone who has a bill to pay this winter. But as the weather gets colder, I encourage all Maine people to see how they might save money and stay warm through the winter by using the latest Maine Winter Heating Guide. Again, found at Maine.gov/Energy. And look at your community newspapers for the local warming centers and overnight shelters for those who need them as well.
This is Governor Janet Mills. Please stay warm, and thank you for listening.