Committee clears energy omnibus bill
A legislative committee advanced a wide-ranging energy bill in a 12-1 vote Saturday.
The Sun Journal reported the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee decided to send the bill, which combines 13 energy bills, to the full Legislature. The omnibus bill, introduced in mid-March, calls for giving the state's Public Utilities Commission new powers to issue bonds to expand natural gas infrastructure in the state and for the Efficiency Maine Trust to manage a new program providing rebates to homeowners converting from oil heat to other sources — like wood pellets, natural gas or propane.
The bill retains Gov. Paul LePage's oversight of the system benefit charge paid by ratepayers, but does not include his wish for new checks on wind power development.
Patrick Woodcock, director of the Governor's Energy Office, told the paper he could not yet say whether the governor supports the latest version of the bill, which will now head to the House and Senate for consideration.
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