AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Who would have thought the word "and" would be worth $38 million?
The Efficiency Maine fund will have $38 million less to subsidize efficiency programs and alternative energy systems because "and" was left out in a recently passed law. The error means the fund will be getting just $22 million instead of the $60 million that Maine lawmakers intended. The subsidies go to Maine businesses and homeowners.
The Public Utilities Commission recently passed the law which was supposed to provide money to Efficiency Maine through three sources, the sales of Electricity and Transmission and Distribution. Because the word "and" was left out of "Electricity and Transmission and Distribution," the program will get money from just two sources.
While Democrats criticized the PUC vote, Republican leader Ken Fredette defended the commission, saying members could vote only on the wording of the bill before them. He said it's up to lawmakers to find a solution to the mess. But he said all stakeholders should have a chance to weigh in, despite the bill's bi-partisan support.
"You need to look at the fact that we have a house that's Democratic and a Republican Senate and Republican Governor. You have to go through the process of any bill, to make sure everybody is sort of on board with it," said Fredette (R) Newport.
Gov. Paul LePage has left no doubt he is not a fan of Efficiency Maine and the way it's funded. That's leading some to believe politics may be at play. Democrats said the funding has already been agreed to and a left out word shouldn't change that.
"To suggest that this one word was dropped and therefore it should change the whole course of this program is inappropriate. It's a simple fix," said Sen. Dawn Hill of York.
Some of the options being talked about include drafting a new bill including the word "and" or have the PUC reconsider the vote.
