An Act To Improve Efficiency Maine Trust Programs To Reduce Heating Costs and Provide Energy Efficient Heating Options for Maine's Consumers
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3210, sub-§9, ¶B, as amended by PL 2011, c. 314, §1, is further amended to read:
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §10103, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 372, Pt. B, §3, is amended to read:
(1) The director of the Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security;
(2) The director of the Maine State Housing Authority; and
(3) Seven members appointed by the Governor, reviewed by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy matters and approved by the Senate. Among these 7 members must be persons who adequately represent the interests of commercial energy consumers, industrial energy consumers, small business energy consumers, residential energy consumers and low-income energy consumers; among these members must be persons with knowledge of and experience in financial matters and consumer advocacy and who possess substantial management expertise or knowledge of or experience with conservation fund programs, carbon reduction programs or energy efficiency or climate change policy. The requirements of this subparagraph may be met through the appointment of one or more persons who satisfy more than one of the requirements, as long as at any one time the 7 members include among them members who adequately represent the identified interests and who posses possess the required knowledge, expertise and experience.
Appointed trustees serve 3-year terms. If an appointed trustee is unable to complete the term, the Governor shall appoint a replacement for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§12 is enacted to read:
Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §10108, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 372, Pt. B, §3, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 10108. Liability
Sec. 5. 35-A MRSA §10110, sub-§2, ¶K is enacted to read:
Sec. 6. 35-A MRSA §10119-A is enacted to read:
§ 10119-A. Efficient electric heating program
The trust shall develop and administer the program using funds derived from assessments on transmission and distribution utilities under section 10110, subsections 4 and 5 to support cost-effective efficient electric heating pilot projects in cooperation with transmission and distribution utilities.
Sec. 7. 35-A MRSA §10121, as amended by PL 2011, c. 314, §§2 to 4, is further amended to read:
§ 10121. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Resource Fund
The trust may allocate funds pursuant to subsection 1, paragraphs C, D and , F and G from the fund to most effectively meet the objectives of the triennial plan pursuant to section 10104, subsection 4.
Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 8. 35-A MRSA §10123 is enacted to read:
§ 10123. Home heating equipment rebate program
summary
This bill amends the Efficiency Maine Trust Act to change the governance and budget structures; to place an equal emphasis on programs regarding alternative heating energy sources and energy efficiency; to establish cost-effective heating rebates and loan programs; and to expand a voluntary renewable resource fund to include energy efficiency.