AUGUSTA - The climate crisis continues to pose a significant threat to Maine and the world. To help further Maine's transition to clean energy, House Democrats have recently unveiled several pieces of legislation to weatherize existing infrastructure, help implement green building standards for new construction and transition to clean energy without creating additional waste.
Collectively, the measures will help Maine reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, lower energy costs and improve energy independence.
LD 496, An Act to Address Solar Energy Development Decommissioning, sponsored by Rep. Jim Boyle, D-Gorham, would require developers to establish a plan for responsibly decommissioning energy storage facilities after they have reached the end of their useful life. The bill had a public hearing on March 16. A work session has not been scheduled.
"Protecting our environment and natural resources is fundamental to our identity as Mainers," said Boyle. Our economy, our health, our happiness and our future depend on it. Thats why, as we continue to lead on renewable energy generation, we need to be thoughtful about the entire lifecycle of these technologies, so that we can continue to responsibly steward this land for generations to come.
LD 519, Resolve, to Conduct a Vehicle-to-grid Pilot Project Using Electric School Buses, sponsored by Rep. Gerry Runte, D-York, would, as amended, direct Efficiency Maine to study the design and operation of a two-year vehicle-to-grid pilot project at the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District. The bill had a public hearing on March 7 and received a positive committee vote during a work session on March 15.
Storing energy when electricity demand is low and releasing it at times of high demand avoids turning on expensive power plants that would otherwise have to run, thereby reducing system costs, said Runte. Studying this type of pilot project will help us identify all the elements necessary to implement broader vehicle-to-grid initiatives and stationary storage in general.
LD 524, An Act Requiring the Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in New Commercial and Multifamily Parking Lot Construction, also sponsored by Rep. Runte, would establish requirements for electric vehicle charging stations in certain new multi-family and commercial construction. The bill had a public hearing on March 8 and will have a work session on March 22.
LD 612, An Act to Create a Green Schools Coordinator in the Department of Education, sponsored by Rep. Marc Malon, D-Biddeford, would create a new position within DOE to assist department staff and work with school administrative units to improve building weatherization and make modifications compatible with renewable energy resources. The bill had a public hearing on March 9. A work session has not been scheduled.
Our school districts are dealing with increasing energy costs, which put a strain on their budgets, said Malon. The state's creation of this position would streamline schools' efforts to be more sustainable, help them be proactive in addressing their energy costs and help Maine meet its goals for addressing climate change.
LR 2037, An Act to Support Energy Upgrades at Maine Public Schools and Ensure That New School Construction Meets Current Efficiency Standards, sponsored by Rep. Raegan LaRochelle, D-Augusta, would require Maine public schools to utilize heat pumps as part of heating systems in new school construction. The bill has not yet been printed.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Boyle, LaRochelle, Malon, Runte], 305-965-2744