AUGUSTA (AP) – Gov. John Baldacci, a day after sounding out legislative leaders about a December special session to deal with fuel assistance funding for needy Mainers, said Tuesday he was still mulling whether to summon lawmakers back to the State House in advance of the January onset of their regular session.

House Republican floor leader David Bowles of Sanford said one question still to be addressed was how additional subsidies would be administered.

“We’re not saying no,” Bowles said.

On Oct. 21, Baldacci announced the creation of a Charitable Fuel Fund, saying contributions from individuals and businesses in Maine could supplement federal and state assistance for the needy.

Baldacci set a fund-raising goal of $10 million, half to come from charitable donations and half from a reallocation of state money, and said the “Keep Maine Warm” campaign would be led by prominent figures including former Govs. Angus King, John McKernan and Joseph Brennan.

Bowles said the idea under discussion now is seeking legislative support for using $5 million in available state money.

To obtain House and Senate approvals for immediate action, majorities of two-thirds or better in each chamber would be needed.

On Monday, Baldacci met with about three dozen civic, community and religious leaders to discuss raising money and coordinating relief efforts.

“Despite the leadership and hard work of our congressional delegation, the federal government has failed to provide additional funding to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program,” Baldacci said in a statement. “Due to the greatly increased cost of heating fuel and its threat to low-income and elderly members of our communities, the need is critical to involve all our partners in the state.”

Although the Legislature is scheduled to convene for its 2006 session shortly after New Year’s, the Baldacci administration has suggested that prompt action to make additional targeted subsidies available would be most beneficial.

“We can no longer wait for the federal government to step up and do its part. We must act, and quickly, to keep our neighbors warm and safe,” Baldacci said.

Concerns about this winter’s heating demands have been rising for months, even before major hurricanes caused widespread damage along the Gulf of Mexico.

When the state’s Interagency Energy Emergency Task Force met in early September, Director Beth Nagusky of the Governor’s Office of Energy Independence and Security outlined projects including the creation of a heating fuel hot line and a fund that could take in charitable contributions to augment government assistance programs.

Administration officials say that so far in the second year of the Operation Keep Maine Warm initiative, 2,000 homes of low-income elderly persons and families with young children have been winterized and that all homes that were signed up for the program are due to be completed by this weekend.