AUGUSTA – Democratic legislative leaders met with Gov. John Baldacci on Thursday and agreed with him afterward there was no pressing desire now for a special session on energy issues.

“I don’t want to do it unless we really have to do it,” Baldacci said in an interview in his State House office.

But with home heating oil prices so high, the governor, along with House and Senate leaders, said nothing had been ruled out. The governor is to receive recommendations from an energy task force report soon, perhaps sometime next week.

“He’s going to come back to us within two weeks,” said House Speaker Glenn Cummings, D-Portland.

“He’s hoping to know more,” said Senate President Beth Edmonds, D-Freeport.

Some of the draft proposals from the task force carry hefty price tags, and lawmakers said one option is to consolidate existing assistance programs to maximize access for those eligible.

House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, D-North Haven, said the state can already promote home weatherization projects to enable residents to conserve fuel.

The preliminary draft from the governor’s task force focuses on the “economic vulnerability” of Maine’s residents and businesses.

“Our nation, region and state have become dangerously dependent on unreliable, insecure and expensive foreign oil and natural gas. As the fossil fuel bill in the state of Maine escalates to nearly $8 billion, it is clear that there is a dramatic need to change the energy culture and consumption patterns in our state, region and nation. The combustion of fossil fuels contributes to climate change, damages the environment, threatens public health, undermines our economic vitality, erodes national security and diminishes our quality of life,” a draft letter of transmittal to the governor says.

Earlier this week, Baldacci unveiled a new energy assistance Web page for consumers and businesses. On Wednesday, governors from across New England called for a sharp boost in federal home heating aid.

About 80 percent of Maine households use heating oil.