Governor Mills Statement on U.S. DOE Authorization of Exchange from Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve

Dublin, IRELAND - Governor Janet Mills today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Energy's authorization of the release of up to 315,000 barrels of fuel oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve (NEHHOR):

"As President Trump's war abroad drives up the price of gas, kerosene, and heating oil here at home, I welcome this move to release home heating oil from the national reserve, which I hope will provide Maine people with some meaningful financial relief as the seasons change and the cold quickly sets in. I thank the Congressional Delegation for their advocacy, and I continue to urge them to appropriate additional LIHEAP funding to supplement this move," said Governor Mills. "I also want to be clear: while we are hopeful this decision will ease prices for Maine people in the near-term, it will not solve the long-term problem driving up costs - the President's war - and Maine people deserve long-term solutions that bring down costs, not just temporary relief from a crisis of the President's own making."

Maine is the most heating oil-dependent state in the nation, with approximately half of all homes relying on oil as their primary heat source. Last month, heating oil in Maine reached a record $6.02 per gallon, equating to approximately $740 more to fill a standard 275-gallon tank than one year ago.

Earlier this month, the Governor called on Congress to provide additional home heating assistance as President Trump's war in Iran continues to drive energy prices to record highs. In a letter to Maine's Congressional Delegation, Governor Mills said that current federal funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is insufficient to meet the increased need caused by sharply higher home heating costs.

Also this month, the Governor announced that thousands of eligible Maine people will begin receiving automatic discounts on their electric bill through Maine's Low Income Assistance Program (LIAP). Households participating in the federally funded Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) will also automatically be enrolled in LIAP. Funding for the program has grown from $22.5 million in 2025 to $40.5 million this year, including an additional $7.5 million approved in the most recent supplemental budget with bipartisan support.

On October 1, the Maine Department of Energy Resources released its annual Winter Heating Guide for the 2026-2027 heating season. The guide includes practical home heating and weatherization tips for Maine residents, steps to access energy assistance programs, links to online resources including the latest energy prices, and more.