As Maine recovers from widespread flooding and we see other parts of the country suffering from severe weather events, it is time for all of us to help our society move off of fossil fuels. If you live in a Maine town with a population less than 5,000, there is a great program available through Efficiency Maine to help your town switch their public buildings to heat pumps and LED lighting.
Eligible buildings include town halls, public safety buildings, libraries, community centers and public works facilities. A program through Efficiency Maine will pay a large part of the cost of this transition.
In some towns this program pays for most of the cost. The problem is that many small towns have not applied. Having attended some selectmen and town council meetings in a small town in the past year, I understand why. Town managers and town councils have a lot on their plates with school issues, road issues, employee issues etc. This is where we can help by drawing their attention to this program and asking them to apply. If enough tax-paying citizens call, the administrators will follow through. This will be a step toward slowing climate change and will eventually help your taxes because heating with heat pumps (which also cool and dehumidify efficiently) will decrease the cost of running your town.
Nancy Hasenfus
Brunswick
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