Environment Maine's Matthew Davis (right) joined Gov. Baldacci (center) at the bill signing for the Cleaner Cars program.
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This winter promises to be painful for Mainers across the state, even for those who like the cold weather. Dramatically higher prices for winter heating fuels threaten our pocketbooks and the well-being of many consumers, and rising fuel prices will have also drive up the cost of electricity and natural gas used for hot water and other purposes.
Overall costs to the state economy more than justify an emergency effort to reduce fuel consumption and improve energy efficiency statewide. We also need long-term energy solutions to make us more energy independent and avoid problems like this in the future.
Our leaders in Washington have done nothing to address this problem and in
some cases have made it worse. The Bush administration announced a plan to
shut down regional Department of Energy offices; which had provided energy efficiency assistance to citizens, businesses and communities.
Policymakers should prioritize efforts to increase Maine’s energy efficiency and generation of in-state clean energy, which would stabilize energy prices in the short and long term. Meanwhile, each of us can invest in efficient lighting and appliances, and eliminate drafts in our homes.
We all should keep the root cause of the problem in mind: over-reliance on fossil fuels.
Maine’s leaders should manage this energy crisis with the tools of energy efficiency and clean renewable energy, while blazing a more promising path of clean energy for the state and assisting consumers in doing the same individually.
Matthew Davis
Advocate
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