An Act To Create Synergy between Maine Industry and Maine's Energy Goals in the Use of Certain Funds by the Efficiency Maine Trust
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0667
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: KESSLER, DUCHARME, DUNPHY
Amends: 35-A MRSA §10103, 35-A MRSA §10119

Legislative Document
No. 667
H.P. 494
House of Representatives, March 3, 2021
An Act To Create Synergy between Maine Industry and Maine's 
Energy Goals in the Use of Certain Funds by the Efficiency Maine 
Trust
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 1, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Energy, Utilities and Technology pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative KESSLER of South Portland.
Cosponsored by Representatives: DUCHARME of Madison, DUNPHY of Old Town.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §10103, sub-§1, ¶B, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 
369, Pt. A, §3, is amended by amending subparagraph (6) to read:
(6)  Simplifying and enhancing consumer access to technical assistance and 
financial incentives relating to energy efficiency and the use of alternative energy 
resources by merging or coordinating dispersed programs under a single 
administrative unit possessing independent management and expertise; and
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §10103, sub-§1, ¶B, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 
369, Pt. A, §3, is amended by amending subparagraph (7) to read:
(7)  Using cost-effective energy and energy efficiency investments to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions; and
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §10103, sub-§1, ¶B, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 
369, Pt. A, §3, is amended by enacting a new subparagraph (8) to read:
(8)  Encouraging the development and adoption of environmentally sustainable 
energy-related and energy efficiency-related products and services derived from 
the State's natural resources, industrial by-products, waste products and recycled 
materials;
Sec. 4.  35-A MRSA §10119, sub-§2, ¶A, as amended by PL 2019, c. 306, §6, is 
further amended to read:
A.  All funds deposited in the fund must be administered by the trust to reduce fossil 
heating fuel consumption consistent with the purpose and targets of the trust and the 
triennial plan to achieve the following goals:
(1)  By 2030, to provide cost-effective energy efficiency and weatherization 
measures to substantially all homes and businesses whose owners wish to 
participate in programs established by the trust under this section; and
(2)  From fiscal year 2019-20 to fiscal year 2024-25, to install 100,000 new high-
performance air source heat pumps in the State to provide heating in residential 
and nonresidential spaces. "High-performance air source heat pump" means an air 
source heat pump that satisfies minimum heating performance standards as 
determined by the trust.; and
(3)  To replace fossil heating fuel in residential, commercial and industrial sectors 
with renewable heating fuel, including, but not limited to, second generation 
biofuel, biodiesel fuel derived from used vegetable oil and fuel derived using 
anerobic digestion or other technologies.  As used in this subparagraph, "second 
generation biofuel" has the same meaning as in 26 United States Code, Section 
40(b)(6)(E).
Sec. 5.  35-A MRSA §10119, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2019, c. 306, §6, is 
further amended by repealing subparagraph (4).
Sec. 6.  35-A MRSA §10119, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2019, c. 306, §6, is 
further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (5) to read:
(5)  Eligible program measures may include, but are not limited to:
(a)  Training or certification of energy auditors, insulation installers, 
mechanical heating system installers and maintenance technicians and building 
energy inspectors; and
(b)  Environmentally sustainable energy-related or energy efficiency-related 
products and services derived from the State's natural resources, industrial by-
products, waste products and recycled materials.
Sec. 7.  35-A MRSA §10119, sub-§2, ¶C, as amended by PL 2019, c. 306, §6, is 
further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (1-A) to read:
(1-A)  Incentives to consumers to purchase and install environmentally sustainable 
energy-related or energy efficiency-related products and services derived from the 
State's natural resources, industrial by-products, waste products and recycled 
materials;
SUMMARY
This bill amends the purposes of the Efficiency Maine Trust to encourage the 
development and adoption by the trust of environmentally sustainable energy-related and 
energy efficiency-related products and services derived from the State's natural resources, 
industrial by-products, waste products and recycled materials.  It also amends the goals of 
the Heating Fuels Efficiency and Weatherization Fund by clarifying the reduction of fossil 
heating fuel consumption as the fund's primary goal and by encouraging through the use of 
the fund the replacement of such fuel in residential, commercial and industrial sectors with 
renewable heating fuel, including, but not limited to, second generation biofuel, biodiesel 
fuel derived from used vegetable oil and fuel derived using anerobic digestion or other 
technologies.  The bill also authorizes the expenditure of funds from the fund for programs 
and program designs that encourage or incentivize measures relating to such 
environmentally sustainable energy-related and energy efficiency-related products and 
services.