In response to the Aug. 18 letter to the editor by Augusta resident Phyllis Hyde (“Efficiency Maine offers little help for renters”), we wish to correct the record.

In fact, Efficiency Maine has delivered a Low Income Weatherization Program since January 2012 that has helped weatherize more than 2,000 units in low-income multi-family rental properties across the state. More than 1,400 of these units also have benefited from the installation of energy-saving heat pumps at no cost to the tenant.

On average, each of those units is conservatively estimated to save about $370 in their energy bills, year after year. Efficiency Maine is continuing the program, and is projected to weatherize hundreds of additional units this fiscal year.

Of course, the easiest thing low-income consumers can do to reduce their energy bills is to buy and install a package of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) available at most hardware stores. Each one that replaces an old incandescent bulb uses 75 percent less energy.

In the past three years, Efficiency Maine’s programs have discounted 6 million CFLs, and our studies show that one in five consumers was a low-income individual.

We want people to know that Efficiency Maine programs benefit Mainers of all income levels, whether renters or homeowners, and that we serve business customers from the smallest corner store to the largest paper mill.

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Every energy consumer at every level plays an important part in our mission to harvest Maine’s lowest cost and cleanest energy — energy efficiency.

Paul Badeau, Efficiency Maine

Director of communications

Augusta


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