Environment Maine unveiled a plan Thursday to reduce Maine's dependence on oil by nearly 40 percent by 2030, beating established legislative energy benchmarks without expanding use of natural gas, which is a central component of Gov. Paul LePage's energy strategy.

Environment Maine field associate Andrew Francis was joined Thursday by state Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx, D-Brunswick, Lee Auto Malls board chairman Adam Lee, Warm Tech Solutions owner Ashley Richards and property owner Ashley Salisbury. The press conference took place at Salisbury's multi-unit 26 Brackett St. building, which was the subject of a recent energy efficiency retrofit largely performed by Warm Tech. 

The group assembled to highlight state and federal measures promoted in the larger Environment America report "Getting Off Oil: A 50-State Roadmap for Curbing Our Dependence on Petroleum."

At a state level, Cornell du Houx said it's crucial the state Legislature continue funding Efficiency Maine programs that encourage home weatherizations, while Lee trumpeted federal proposals to force auto manufacturers to meet minimum fuel efficiency standards of 54 miles per gallon over the next 13 years.

"Mainers  send $5 billion every single year to nations that do not have our best interests in mind," Cornell du Houx, who has served with the Marine Corps in the Middle East, said of Maine's dependence on oil. Maine is ranked the fourth most oil-dependent state in the country.

Lee noted that in 1975, Congress gave car makers 10 years to double the fuel efficiency of their vehicles, and although manufacturers complained, they met the standards and reduced pollution.

"The history of my industry is that they don't do anything to improve safety or efficiency unless they're mandated to do so," Lee told members of the assembled media Thursday morning.

Richards said 2,500 Maine homes were weatherized in 2010 using rebates and other funding programs offered by Efficiency Maine. Each home saved an average of $1,400 on annual heating costs because of the work, which ranges in scope from sealing windows to better insulating walls to finding more efficient heating systems.

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