Legal Marketing & PR

WESTBROOK, ME ? Lee International was a key player in a recent announcement by Maine Governor John E. Baldacci that Maine has received a $30 million federal grant from The Recovery Act to fund energy efficiency upgrades in Maine through weatherization projects that reduce carbon emissions. The competitive award is part of $452 million in Recovery Act funding through the U.S. Department of Energy awarded to 25 communities around the country. 

According to Cathy Lee of Lee International, weatherization of buildings is an effective way to reduce carbon emissions that result from heating or cooling by an average of 25% and lower household energy bills at the same time. However, these opportunities are often missed for lack of funds and capacity.

The Maine funding will allow the Maine State Housing Authority (MaineHousing) to expand its weatherization initiative for low income dwellings in the state of Maine with the support of carbon finance. Under the MaineHousing Carbon Quantification Project, emission reductions from weatherization will be monetized through appropriate carbon finance instruments. 

MaineHousing engaged Climate Focus and its U.S-based consultant Lee International in the development of a new methodology suitable for weatherization of single and multifamily buildings under the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS). Credits will be sold initially into the U.S. voluntary market but are intended to qualify for use in the U.S. compliance market if proposed legislation providing for energy efficiency offsets is adopted in the US. Learn more at: www.go-worldlee.com.