ADVOCACY, LEADERSHIP, & EDUCATION FOR MAINE’S ENERGY MARKETERS
MAINE'S BUDGET DEADLOCK ON PAGE 21 + SEE PAGE 16
MTEC'S PROPANE TRAINING TRANISTIONS TO PEP ON PAGE 25
MEMA MAG is a quarterly magazine designed to engage and communicate with members with useful, timely, and memberrelated content. MEMA MAG will be published four times a year.
Do you have a suggestion for MEMA MAG? Would you like to ADVERTISE? Contact Meghan Sylvester, Communications & Marketing Specialist at MEMA. Email her at msylvester@ maineenergymarketers.com or call 207-729-5298.
Copyright 2025 Maine Energy Marketers Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission, in writing, from MEMA and/or the publisher. Printed in Maine, USA.
FROM THE DESK OF
In the past few months, the pace of change has been relentless—a new presidential administration, the coldest winter in recent memory, multiple hours-of-service waivers, the potential for tariffs on imported energy, a new Maine Legislature, budget battles, protests in Washington and Augusta, and an ongoing push to electrify everything. But amidst this whirlwind, I keep in mind a saying from a commanding officer of mine, "Keep your eyes in the boat." In other words, stay focused on the task at hand and don't get distracted. Your MEMA team is doing just that—staying focused on the priorities and goals that matter most.
MEMA's top legislative priority, L.D. 556, "An Act to Preserve Heating and Energy Choice by Prohibiting a Municipality from Prohibiting a Particular Energy System or Energy Distributor,” is now before the Maine Legislature. This critically important bill protects Mainers' right to choose how they heat their homes and businesses and the kind of vehicles they drive. With some Maine municipalities seeking to impose restrictions on fossil fuels, L.D. 556 ensures that individuals and businesses retain the freedom to select the fuels, heating equipment, and vehicles that best suit their needs.
At its initial public hearing, L.D. 556 received strong support, but
passing it into law will require the help of all MEMA members. Please contact your legislators and urge them to vote YES on L.D. 556!
MEMA is also actively working to improve the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) payment process for fuel retailers. We are actively advocating and supporting legislation that would consolidate the administration of LIHEAP funds under a single agency, simplifying oversight and ensuring more efficient distribution of assistance.
In another exciting initiative, Senator Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) is leading efforts to explore the use of Aroostook County's sunflower crop for biofuel production. This initiative could benefit Maine's agricultural and liquid fuels industries by creating a homegrown, sustainable energy source. MEMA is proud to support Senator Stewart's Legislative Resolve to establish a committee studying this opportunity.
In Washington, MEMA strongly supports the Credit Card Competition Bill, a critical measure aimed at reducing credit card swipe fees by fostering competition among banks. This bill would lower costs for both retailers and consumers by allowing more credit card processors to compete for business.
As we navigate these challenges
and opportunities, let's remember the importance of staying focused—even when everything around us seems chaotic. With our eyes in the boat, we remain grounded in purpose, ensuring that we stay on course and continue working toward a better future for all.
Your MEMA team will not waiver—we will continue to advocate for what is right for our members, our businesses, and the communities we serve.
Best, Charlie
MEET OUR TEAM
CHARLIE SUMMERS PRESIDENT
MEGAN DIVER VICE PRESIDENT
HANNAH ESTES BUSINESS MANAGER
DIRECTORS BOARD OF
SARAH NADEAU INSURANCE & OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
CARTER VAILLANCOURT CHAIR OF THE BOARD DAIGLE OIL CO.
CASEY CRAMPTON VICE CHAIR DEAD RIVER CO.
KATIE FOSTER TREASURER RH FOSTER ENERGY
MATT POOLE SECRETARY COLBY & GALE
COLLEEN EGE ADMIN ASSISTANT
MEGHAN SYLVESTER MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
EXECUTIVE BOARD
MATT POOLE | COLBY & GALE
ROGER ARSENAULT | COMMUNITY ENERGY CO.
CARTER VAILLANCOURT | DAIGLE OIL COMPANY
CASEY CRAMTON | DEAD RIVER COMPANY
CHARLIE BURNHAM | DIRECTOR EMERITUS
MICHAEL ESTES | ESTES OIL & PROPANE
MAX MARSTON | FABIAN OIL
MICHAEL MCCORMACK | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
CARRIE TOMFORDE | IRVING OIL
KATIE FOSTER | RH FOSTER ENERGY, LLC.
TIM HEUTZ | RINALDI ENERGY
MARK ST.GERMAIN | ST.GERMAIN
ASSOCIATION BOARD
JAMIE ROBINSON | A.E. ROBINSON OIL CO.
DAVID BABCOCK | ADAMS & FOGG OIL EQUIP, CO.
ROBERT SHIBLEY | BOB’S CASH FUEL LLC
PAM GIORDANO | CETANE ASSOCIATES
PETER BUOTTE | COMMUNITY ENERGY CO. - ALT.
JEFF WEBB | EASTERN PROPANE & OIL, INC.
JIM PIKE | ENERGY KINETICS
JUDY DELANEY | GLOBAL PETROLEUM CORP.
BRIAN HOLMES | GLOBAL PETROLEUM CORP. - ALT.
TOM SCHWARM | GOULD TECHNOLOGIES
MATT HARRISON | GULF OIL, LP
JIM CARROLL | J.P. CARROLL FUEL CO.
STEVE NESS | NESS OIL COMPANY
ROBERT TRACY | RH FOSTER ENERGY, LLC. - ALT.
ELWIN SCOTT | SIMARD & SONS, INC.
KRISTYN SCHWEITZER | SPRAGUE ENERGY
PAULA PALMER | SPRAGUE ENERGY-ALT.
MICHAEL TAMMARO | V.L. TAMMARO OIL
DAVID CUPKA MTEC INSTRUCTOR
ROGER MITCHELL MTEC DEAN
RICK KENNY MTEC INSTRUCTOR
NEW MEMBERS
Please join MEMA in welcoming our newest members. Our members are the backbone of our association. The education services, programs, and events we provide are successful based on the solid support we receive from both associate members and members. To learn more about MEMA membership or to become a member, visit maineenergymarketers.com/membership.
COMPANY
Apis Point Energy
New York, NY www.apispoint.energy
Motivated Mechanical Solutions
Bath, ME www.motivatedmechanicalsolutions .com
Doug Barker Plumbing & Heating
Leeds, ME www.dougbarkerplumbingand heating.com
Vic & Sons Fuel Co., LLC
South Portland, ME www.vicandsonsfuelco.com
EQUIPMENT, SERVICE & SUPPLY
Brookside Plumbing
Hope, ME www.brooksideplumbing.co
Harmer & Sons Plumbing & Heating
Gloucester, ME www.harmerandsons.com
HPA Service, LLC
Augusta, ME www.hpaservice.com
Kennebec Valley Mechanical
Litchfield, ME
Yeager Engineered Systems
North Kingstown, RI www.trustedvendor.com
DIFFERENT KIND OF FUEL PRICING PRODUCT
Apis Point Energy lets you offer capped-price and fixed-price programs to your customers without sacrificing margin and while eliminating your basis risk. Our products give you margin certainty from day one. You can even get fixed-price plans with volume flexibility.
Your customers get the programs they want. You get margin certainty, cash flow improvement and the elimination of risk and operational stress.
Apis Point Energy does not deal in derivatives. We buy and sell physical fuel and we take risk management seriously. Whatever market issues come up, we are prepared for them!
THE MEMA FAMILY GOT A LITTLE BIGGER!
On December 7, 2024, we welcomed the newest (and tiniest!) member of the MEMA family! Colleen Decker, our amazing Administrative Assistant, and her husband Matt Decker, Facility Manager & Dispatcher for Fieldings Oil & Propane, joyfully introduced their baby girl, Lucy Caroline, to the world.
Weighing in at 6 lbs 15 oz, Lucy has stolen hearts with her sweet snuggles and sleepy smiles. She loves spending her days cuddling with Mom and keeping an eye on her playful doggie sisters, Mocha and Carly.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DECKER FAMILY ON THEIR BEAUTIFUL NEW ADDITION!
2024 DEALER MEETINGS
MEMA’s Annual Dealer Meetings wrapped up another successful year, bringing members together across the state to discuss industry trends, share ideas, and strengthen professional relationships. Held in Bangor and Presque Isle on November 18 and 19 and in Auburn on December 12, these meetings provided an open forum for members to reflect on the past year and look ahead to what’s on the horizon for MEMA and its individual members.
Attendees engaged in productive discussions on key industry developments, voiced concerns, and explored opportunities to improve both the Association and the businesses it represents. A highlight of the meetings was the participation of local legislators, fostering important connections between MEMA members and policymakers.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to these meaningful conversations! We appreciate your engagement and look forward to continuing these discussions at future events.
GOVERNOR MILLS: STATE OF THE STATE
During her State of the Budget Address on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, Governor Janet Mills urged lawmakers to do the hard work and to make the tough fiscal decisions needed to balance the state's budget.
Maine, like many states across the nation, is facing a tight fiscal environment as revenues have leveled off while costs have increased. The Governor's budget addresses this by proposing a mix of program changes, spending cuts, and targeted revenue increases while preserving core commitments to Maine people, like health care, 55 percent of education, free school meals, and five percent municipal revenue sharing.
STATE OF THE STATE
In her remarks, the Governor acknowledged that lawmakers are feeling the same frustration her Administration felt in putting the budget together, saying that she, too, does not like having to cut programs or raise revenues. However, she pointed out that her proposal attempts to limit the impact on Maine people by focusing on programs that have not yet been implemented or targeted revenues that are not broad-based, which will affect fewer Maine people and have a public health benefit.
The Governor called on lawmakers to not draw lines in the sand but to come together to do the hard work of putting specific ideas on the table and negotiating in good faith to reach a bipartisan agreement.
The budget provides important additional funding for health care for Maine people through MaineCare (Medicaid), as well as investments in child welfare, children's behavioral health services, nursing facility rate reform, mobile crisis response, and public safety. It makes permanent her Free Community College initiative, continues her successful Mobile Home Preservation Fund—which has helped save the homes of hundreds of Maine people over the past year—and continues her addiction treatment programs in Maine's County Jails.
It rejects broad-based tax changes, such as any increase to Maine's income or sales tax, and it does not draw from Maine's near-recordhigh Budget Stabilization Fund, achieved under the Governor.
Instead, it successfully closes the budget gap by utilizing newly recognized revenues (legislature.maine.gov/doc/11282) from the independent, nonpartisan Revenue Forecasting Committee; making targeted programmatic reductions; and raising revenues, primarily through a $1.00 increase in Maine's cigarette excise tax and corresponding increases to the excise tax on other tobacco-related products, which has a proven public health benefit.
The Governor concluded by praising Maine and its people.
"Let's use this session to protect those things that make us special and keep our state on a stable fiscal course. When we hear anger and acrimony, we should remember the words of our old friend Dave Mallett, who told us that things— especially things in Maine—are 'Better than That,'" she continued. "...We have demonstrated in the past that Democrats, Republicans, and Independents can put their heads together and get good results. I am ready to work with you in the coming months on a budget that is balanced, that is fiscally responsible, that strengthens our economy, and that lifts up our greatest asset of all: the people of Maine."
A complete copy of the Governor's State of the Budget Address, as prepared for delivery, is available at maine.gov/governor/ mills/sites/maine.gov.governor.mills/files/ inline-files/Governor%20Mills%202025%20 State%20of%20the%20Budget%20 Remarks%20As%20Prepared%20for%20 Delivery%20.pdf
Read more about the Governor's budget proposal at maine.gov/governor/mills/news/ governor-mills-unveils-balanced-biennialbudget-proposal-2025-01-10
•
INSIDE THE BELTWAY UPDATE
By Rob Underwood
Reconciliation is an arduous process, and congressional leaders remain far apart on key tax and spending priorities."
Congress remains laser focused on a reconciliation bill to advance Republican priorities, extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, and repeal targeted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) programs. Meanwhile, government funding is set to expire on March 14, 2025. However, Thursday night, President Trump took to Truth Social to express his support for a Continuing Resolution that would extend current Fiscal Year 2025 government funding levels through the end of September 2025. In his post, President Trump criticized “Sleepy Joe Biden” for the chaos surrounding the current state of government funding.
Late Wednesday night, the House narrowly adopted its budget resolution (required to unlock the reconciliation process) after Speaker Johnson (R-LA) eroded hardliner opposition by emphasizing the vote as the first procedural step to deliver on Republican priorities rather than a final product. The House vote tees up tough negotiations with the Senate on a path forward. The Senate is unlikely to accept the House’s approach, focusing instead on making the 2017 tax cuts permanent, meaning a compromise will require negotiations between chambers. Senate consideration of the House resolution may prompt a second “vote-a-rama” where Democrats can
offer unlimited amendments to the resolution to slow consideration. A modified resolution out of the Senate will also require additional House votes - further complicating Speaker Johnson’s ability to whip the necessary Republican votes in the House.
Reconciliation is an arduous process and passage of the House resolution is a positive sign for moving forward. However, the House and Senate dynamic over the past 10 days indicates that congressional leaders remain far apart on key tax and spending priorities, raising doubts about whether Congress can meet its mid-April target for final passage. It’s possible that consideration could move to mid-May and make for an active week during EMA’s Day on the Hill! Republicans in Congress continue to pursue legislation to pull back on many IRA incentives - notably those related to Electric Vehicles (EVs).
Similar to the Senate bill introduced earlier this month, the House Transportation Committee is drafting a plan to impose a $150 annual fee on electric vehicles, with the funds going to the Highway Trust Fund to help address a projected $280 billion deficit by 2034. The fee is intended to match what the average gas-powered vehicle owner pays in gas taxes, and it would be implemented through the states, with federal support to help set up the system. While many states already charge EV fees, a coalition of industry groups is urging Congress to pass a national EV fee to ensure all drivers contribute to infrastructure funding, though they acknowledge it would only partially address the Trust Fund’s financial issues.
When Congress passed the IRA in 2022, it added seven new sections to the Clean Air Act (CAA). President Biden and the Democrats on the Hill
intended the new statutory language to enhance the durability of the Obama administration’s endangerment finding by including language that expressly deemed greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)—including carbon dioxide, methane and hydrofluorocarbons—to be pollutants for purposes of the amended sections of the CAA, which included the additional program for clean heavy-duty vehicles. For background, in 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that GHGs are "air pollutants" under the CAA, which required EPA to determine whether they pose a danger for regulatory purposes. In 2009, the agency published an Endangerment Finding, concluding that various GHGs threaten public health and contribute to climate change. This determination serves as the foundational authority for GHG emissions regulation for both mobile sources (e.g., vehicles) and stationary sources (e.g., power plants). These statutory determinations of GHGs as pollutants likely will complicate EPA’s determination by revisiting the endangerment finding. Congress would need to consider repealing the IRA provisions as part of the budget reconciliation process.
ROB UNDERWOOD IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENERGY MARKETERS OF AMERICA.
On a frigid Valentine's Day in Maine, warmth came in more ways than one. The Maine Energy Marketers Association (MEMA) and its dedicated fuel providers embarked on a mission of compassion, delivering free heating fuel to families in need through the 10th annual Fuel Your Love campaign. This heartwarming tradition started a decade ago and has become a beacon of hope during Maine's harsh winters. With subfreezing temperatures gripping the state, MEMA members— including Atlantic Heating Company, Bob's Cash Fuel, Colby & Gale, Dead River Company, Dixfield Discount Fuel, Eastern Propane & Oil, Fielding's Oil & Propane, M.W. Sewall, R.H. Foster Energy, Sail Energy, and V.L. Tammaro—hit the road, filling tanks and hearts alike.
MORE THAN JUST FUEL
Fuel Your Love is more than an act of charity; it's a lifeline. From single parents struggling to keep their children warm to elderly residents on fixed incomes to veterans and individuals with disabilities, this campaign touches lives in profound ways. Customers who were selected to receive fuel were often overcome with emotion, grateful for the unexpected relief during one of the coldest winters in recent history.
Donna Mayberry, a customer of Dixfield Discount Fuel, was shocked to see two oil trucks in her yard that Friday. She was one of Dixfield's four recipients, receiving 100 gallons of fuel to help her through the winter.
R.H. Foster customers Jordann and Colby shared the emotional impact of the campaign on social media:
"Colby and I got the biggest surprise today!! We were selected as part of the R.H. Foster' Fuel Your Love' campaign, and they completely FILLED our oil tank and dropped off a goodie bag. I am beyond thankful and blown away by this gesture and campaign."
A DECADE OF GIVING
Over the past ten years, MEMA and its member companies have made it their mission to support Maine communities. Their commitment to giving back is woven into the very fabric of their businesses, and Fuel Your Love is a testament to their dedication.
Charlie Summers, President and CEO of MEMA, expressed his gratitude for the companies that continue to make this event possible.
"Fuel Your Love is the perfect example of MEMA members' deep commitment to their communities. This campaign was created a decade ago to help those in need, and that mission is more important than ever during such a bitterly cold winter." None of this would be possible without the hardworking fuel drivers, who braved the elements to ensure Maine families stayed warm.
A
VALENTINE'S DAY TO REMEMBER
While many associate Valentine's Day with flowers and chocolates, MEMA and its fuel providers have redefined the holiday by showing love in the most meaningful way— by ensuring no family is left in the cold. With the support of generous sponsors like Haffner's Energy and H.O. Bouchard, this year's event was another resounding success.
As Fuel Your Love enters its second decade, it remains a powerful reminder of the kindness and generosity that define Maine's fuel industry. Through warmth, care, and community spirit, MEMA and its members continue to make a lasting impact—one full tank at a time.
"Fuel Your Love is the perfect example of MEMA members' deep commitment to their communities."
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Beckett Solution: This tried and true checklist of maintenance products is ideal for systems using traditional fuels up to B100 and R100.
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3. Filter & Adapter: Maintain clean and efficient fuel flow with our full line of Spin-On filters that are epoxy coated inside UL Listed. Plus our adapter kits easily convert canister filters to convenient spin-on style.
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4. Electrode Kit: Ensure optimal burner performance and ignition with this kit. Includes electrodes and necessary hardware along with the coupling and oil line.
4. Nozzle: Routine replacement with our nozzles helps to ensure that the system is operating at peak capacity. Oil burner nozzles get dirty during use, particularly if contaminated fuel is being used so regular maintenance or replacement is necessary. Ours are 100% tested and produced to exacting standards.
MAINE'S BUDGET DEADLOCK, DEBATE, AND THE ROAD AHEAD
By Megan Diver
Governor Mills unveiled both her Supplemental Budget proposal (LD 209) for 2025 and her Biennial Budget proposal (LD 210) for FY '26 and '27. The Supplemental Budget is a $94 million proposal, which includes dealing with the $118 million MaineCare shortfall and various cost-saving measures, mostly related to rearranging various department positions. It is notable that the state has almost $250 million in surplus revenue in the current fiscal year, but most of this will be used to fill a projected $450 million deficit in the next biennial budget. In this case, the projected deficit is the difference between the revenue that is expected to be available versus the amount of revenue that would be required if the state continued funding every ongoing program in the current budget. The Governor and DAFS Commissioner Kristen Figueroa urged the 131st Legislature to carry forward a balance of more than $100 million. Instead, almost all of this was allocated to fund mostly one-time allocations for new proposals.
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
The Supplemental Budget was expected to be dealt with relatively quickly with the anticipation that the
"At the end of February, the supplemental budget was still hanging in limbo as Republicans and Democrats remained deadlocked after the Maine House moved to strip the bill of its emergency status."
Appropriations Committee hopes to have voted the Supplemental Budget out of the committee by the end of February.
It was anticipated that the most controversial aspect of the Supplemental Budget was the failure of the Mills Administration to fulfill its commitment to funding COLAs for direct care workers funded through MaineCare. The Administration informed providers of the services, all of whom had created annual budgets based on the state budget passed last year, including the COLA provision, that the COLA would not be funded starting January 1, 2025. As one can understand, these providers are almost
100% funded by State and Federal funds through MaineCare. As the minimum wage increases and other costs increase (housing, food, heat, healthcare for employees, etc.) the rates they are paid must go up, or they will be unable to continue to provide these essential services. At the very least they are at a severe disadvantage compared to other employers who are not fully dependent on state funding. The absence of an allocation to fund the COLAs through the end of the current budget means that providers of all kinds will be testifying on Thursday afternoon to the combined Appropriations and Health and Human Services Committees. In addition, cuts to the funding for the Homestead Exemption, the infertility insurance mandate, and the Office of Violence Prevention may receive pushback from the public.
The Supplemental Budget includes increased funding for the Disaster Recovery Fund, Maine Community Colleges, and an allocation to help the University of Maine System pay for the increased costs of the new Paid Family and Medical Leave program. It also provides $2 million to help address a Spruce Budworm outbreak in Maine's northern forests.
However, at the end of February, the supplemental budget was still hanging in limbo as Republicans and Democrats remained deadlocked after the Maine House moved to strip the bill of its emergency status. The goal was to pass the bill with a two-thirds majority so it could immediately take effect as an emergency measure. The Maine House failed to cross that threshold when they voted during the last day of the session in February.
The Mills administration warned that if the bill doesn't pass as an emergency measure, payments to healthcare providers could be affected as soon as next month.
Resistance to the current plan has come from Republicans, who argue Democrats are unwilling to entertain their efforts to include work requirements for Medicaid and limits to general assistance in the spending plan. Gov. Janet Mills originally pushed for changes to general assistance in the supplemental budget. Democrats accused Republicans of holding the plan hostage, saying the supplemental budget only contains widely agreed-upon measures.
The House and Senate reconvene on Tuesday, March 4. The Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee is also working on the much larger two-year budget simultaneously.
BIENNIAL BUDGET
The Biennial Budget would have to allocate approximately $11.67 billion to pay for all ongoing expenses in the statute. The state's projected revenue during this period is roughly $11.62 billion, thus creating a "structural gap" of roughly $450 million for the next biennium. The Governor's Recommended Biennial Budget includes $11,626.7 million in General Fund appropriations. This is an increase of 11% over total appropriations enacted for the 2024-2025 biennium through the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature. The Governor maintained her commitments to funding 55 percent of the cost of education and Medicaid expansion, as well as free school meals for all Maine public students or those receiving public tuition. It also maintains 5 percent municipal revenue sharing, makes permanent the free community college program, increases funding for public higher education institutions, and continues the Mobile Home Preservation Fund.
Unfortunately, in the budget, the Governor excludes Maine students attending private colleges from receiving grants from the Maine State Grant Program (MSGP). The MSGP has been an important financial assistance tool for many years, allowing Maine students to choose which higher education institution served them best. Some of the structural gap is paid for with the remaining surplus from the current fiscal year, but Governor Mills also proposes to create over $80 million in new revenue by raising the cigarette tax by 50%. She also proposes increasing the sales tax on cannabis (while lowering the excise tax) and adding new taxes on prescriptions and streaming services.
The public hearings are ongoing and began the first week of February, and public hearings and work sessions are expected to continue at least into midMarch.
Given that the last few budgets have all been partisan majority budgets, many expect the Biennial Budget is likely to be as well. The Democrats will definitely push to be able to vote on the two-year budget at the end of March in order to have it take effect before the next fiscal year begins on July 1. Due to the controversy with the supplemental budget, the biennial budget is anticipated to have similar roadblocks.
Republicans made public commitments to oppose the tax increases and new taxes proposed by Governor Mills. Democrats have made clear their intentions to attempt a bipartisan budget if they show no willingness to compromise on those proposals.
RULES CHANGES
As many of you are aware, there has been a concerted effort by members of the public and some legislators to curtail the practice of submitting legislative "concept drafts" as bill titles. This has been a long-standing practice, especially by leadership, in order to have vehicles for other members of their caucus as needed, or the ability to act on topics of known concern or need without really knowing what one would propose. The Appropriations Chairs almost always have placeholder bills if needed for budget purposes and other committee chairs often do as well.
Unfortunately, these bills became commonly used by leaders and rankand-file members alike to be able to present last-minute language at public hearings before any members of the public, or even their fellow legislators, could review and weigh in on the actual bill. This became much more frequent in the 130th and 131st Legislatures, and lobbyists, advocates, and other members of the public raised an outcry.
Because of this, the Joint Rules Committee met for the first time in
many years to consider various changes, including the elimination or limitations of concept drafts. While some support elimination, a majority of the committee members are unwilling to completely remove them as a tool for committee and leaders to respond to unforeseen circumstances that might require an appropriate legislative vehicle.
Therefore, a bipartisan majority of the Rules Committee voted to support a Joint Order that allows concept drafts to be submitted to the Revisors' Office, but, once the committee chairs of the committee to which said bill was referred schedule a public hearing, the sponsor must provide a fully drafted bill to the committee staff at least three business days prior to the hearing. The staff must make the bill available to the public on-line at least two business days prior to the hearing. If this does not happen, the bill is dead.
There are concerns that the sponsors may pressure committee chairs to not schedule the public hearing in a timely manner. There is also concern that the committee analysts may be pressured to prioritize these bills, which will create a bottleneck in the committee process. Many interested parties, including MEMA, will be watching how this process unfolds and looking to see if unintended consequences arise.
Legislative work is ramping up fast. MEMA is actively talking to legislators and members of the administration, watching as the new
bill language comes out, and setting up meetings as needed with relevant lawmakers. Please reach out to Megan Diver with any questions or concerns.
Diver is the Vice President of the Maine Energy Marketers Association
The Governor maintained her commitments to funding 55 percent of the cost of education and Medicaid expansion, as well as free school meals for all Maine public students or those receiving public tuition."
Megan
MTEC'S PROPANE TRAINING TRANSITIONS TO PEP LEARNING PATHS
"
The new modular structure not only enhances comprehension but also gives students the flexibility to focus on the skills they need most. This ensures they're better prepared and more confident when they step into the field."
Big changes are coming to propane training! The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is transitioning all Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) courses to the PEP (Propane Education Program) Learning Paths. These updated training paths break down lessons into smaller, more focused modules, making it easier to tailor training to specific job functions.
The transition process began with the Delivery License Authority, which has already been approved by the Maine Fuel Board (MFB). Additionally, the Bobtail and Cylinder Delivery learning paths have also been merged into a single Maine Fuel Board Delivery Learning Path. As part of this update, the MFB, working alongside PGANE, has introduced six on-the-job (OTJ) learning sheets that now replace the Skills Assessment previously used in CETP.
At MTEC, we've been preparing for this shift and are
PEP TRANSITION SCHEDULE
MTEC will be using PEP materials that align with our Board Approved programs ahead of PERCs anticipated transition timeline. (Image courtesy of Propane Education & Research Council.)
ready to roll out our updated Fuel Board-Approved Delivery Authority Program. The new course will incorporate the latest PEP materials and offer expanded coverage of key topics, which is why our Delivery Course is now a four-day class rather than the previous three days.
"We're excited about these changes because they allow us to improve how we teach and how our students learn," says MTEC dean Roger Mitchell. "The new modular structure not only enhances comprehension but also gives students the flexibility to focus on the skills they need most. This ensures they're better prepared and more confident when they step into the field."
There are now two ways to complete the Delivery Course:
• Instructor-Led Training – A four-day, in-person course at our Brunswick Campus, including the hands-on OJT session, code review, and State Test Prep
• Hybrid Delivery Course – A combination of off campus, self-paced interactive learning modules followed by a two-day OJT session, code review class, and State Test Prep.
For more information, visit propane.com/perceducation-program/ or contact MTEC Dean Roger Mitchell at rmitchell@maineenergymarketers.com.
Stay ahead in your training with MTEC's latest program updates!
Greenwood Rd | Brunswick, ME 04011
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