U.S. Energy Secretary Visits Maine

Press Release

Governor John E. Baldacci today welcomed U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu to the University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center. Secretary Chu had been invited to the facility by U.S. Senator Susan Collins. The federal agency has provided key funding to the Center and partners to aid Maine's efforts to aggressively pursue wind power development and green jobs.

"Maine is a national leader in the development of clean, renewable and home-grown energy," said Governor Baldacci. "Secretary Chu's visit recognizes the intense commitment and broad-based support behind renewable energy development in Maine. We've worked hard to build the technological and workforce strengths that have put Maine on this path."

The Governor pointed to the steadfast support of Maine's Congressional Delegation, which has helped the State position itself as a national leader in wind energy development. The Obama Administration has provided more than $25 million dollars in grants to help develop offshore energy.

Governor Baldacci said that public support for clean energy was reinforced in last week's ballot with about 60 percent of Maine voters supporting the bond question that included, among other energy priorities, $11 million to support the development of the deepwater wind energy demonstration site spearheaded by University of Maine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center.

"Maine people recognize the economic, national security and environmental dangers in reliance on foreign fossil fuels to heat our homes and power our cars," said the Governor. "And they are supporting the work going on today that will create thousands of new jobs, and translate into a cleaner, safer power, putting our State in control of our energy future."

Maine last week joined with nine other states and the U.S. Department of Interior to establish The Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium to work to streamline the review and siting process for offshore wind projects in federal waters. Maine has already identified three demonstration sites for offshore wind technology located in Maine coastal waters. The University of Maine will be using a site off Monhegan Island for its testing.

Maine has established a bold vision of reducing the State's consumption of liquid fossil fuels by at least 30 percent by 2030.

The Secretary's visit follows one a week ago by other U.S. Department of Energy officials, who came to the State to recognize energy efficiency improvements being made to Maine homes.

Secretary Chu's visit is the second by a federal Cabinet member made to the Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center in the past year. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visited the Center in August 2009.

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