Governor, delegation meet to discuss energy crisis

WASHINGTON – Gov. John Baldacci urged the Maine congressional delegation Wednesday to continue to press for increased federal low-income home energy assistance and to seek legislation that would allow large trucks to drive on the state’s interstate highways.

Baldacci met with the delegation to discuss the implications of rising oil prices and home heating costs in the state.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe and Democratic Reps. Tom Allen and Michael Michaud joined Baldacci in Snowe’s office to review the most pressing energy issues in the state and to plan help from the federal level.

Baldacci said there were three major issues at hand.

“Maine is the only state in the entire region that doesn’t have the ability to drive on the interstate trucks over 80,000 pounds,” Maine’s Democratic governor said in an interview after the meeting. “Those trucks with logs have to travel state and local roads near schools and in downtowns. The long and slow routes add to their mileage and gas that they are using, and it is also a public safety issue.”

The other New England states have received exemptions, Baldacci said, and now Congress must change the law to give Maine the same exemption.

High gasoline and oil prices are “wreaking havoc” on truckers in the forest products industry, according to a joint statement the delegation issued.

Baldacci said the reasons behind those rising prices also were addressed in the meeting.

“When we talk to members of the oil industry and consumer advocates, both nationally and in the state, they say it’s the speculators and hedge funds that are driving the price up on a barrel of crude oil,” he said. At Wednesday’s meeting, he added, “The senators [discussed] a committee report that said the price was 25 to 30 percent inflated.”

Baldacci said the lawmakers were looking at legislation to “clamp down” on the speculators and “get them out of that marketplace” by making it less lucrative by assessing fees.

“They are the people playing games with it, and our people are paying the price for it,” Baldacci said.

The third issue discussed was the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Baldacci said.

President Bush recently vetoed a bill that would have provided $2.4 billion in LIHEAP funds for 2008.

“I know the president has vetoed the legislation, and [the delegation] doesn’t think they can override it,” Baldacci said.

He said the state is preparing to stretch state resources and is also looking at shelters so that “in worst-case scenarios” people have places to go to stay warm.

“The governor made clear that the situation in the state is very serious and that action is needed,” the delegation said in the joint statement. “As a delegation, we have all been advocating for the increased LIHEAP funding and will continue to do so.”

Baldacci said he was optimistic about the lawmakers’ commitment to fighting for increased funds.

“In Maine we are resilient and we are going to do what we can do,” he said. “At the same time, we need the federal government doing all it can do. We can’t let people freeze to death.”