Heating oil prices are near record highs, averaging around $2 a gallon for much of the state, a 50-percent increase over last year. An average household can expect a heating bill about $600 more than last year.
For some Mainers, the cost will be absorbed. There may be fewer Christmas gifts or a shorter holiday vacation.
For others, it’s a crisis.
Last winter, 46,000 people received assistance with their heating oil bills. The number of people seeking help is expected to increase by as much as 30 percent this year, according to Beth Nagusky, who heads the state’s Office of Energy Independence and Security. The higher prices and greater need translates into a $32 million shortfall in the federal funding for energy assistance.
Maine can’t depend on the extra federal dollars.
Already, the state is making plans for warming centers and shelters where people without heat could escape the cold.
Last week, the governor also introduced an initiative that mobilizes Maine’s volunteer community and National Guard to help winterize as many as 3,200 homes.
Called “Operation Keep ME Warm,” the program gives senior citizens who qualify for heating assistance the chance to have their homes winterized by volunteers. Private companies are donating kits, which include window and pipe insulation, and energy-saving light bulbs, and training volunteers on installation.
According to Gov. Baldacci, once installed, the kits could reduce energy bills by about $78 for the winter. In a crisis and on a limited income, every saving matters.
We encourage eligible senior citizens to apply for the kits, and we offer a sincere thanks to the companies who are providing the materials at a reduced costs and the volunteers who will do the installation.
Staying warm shouldn’t be a struggle. This winter, for many, it will be. Operation Keep ME Warm won’t change that for everyone, but for about 3,000 seniors it will help some.
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