SHAHEEN TOUTS BENEFITS OF NATIONAL OILHEAT RESEARCH TO CONSUMERS, SMALL BUSINESSES

(Manchester, NH)- U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined representatives of the New Hampshire Oil Heat Dealers Association for a roundtable discussion in Manchester today to highlight the benefits the five-year reauthorization of the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) will have for homes using oil heat in New Hampshire. Shaheen successfully fought to include a five-year reauthorization of the NORA program in the bipartisan Farm Bill, which adopted language nearly identical to Shaheen’s bipartisan Oilheat Efficiency, Renewable Fuel Research and Jobs Training Act, to renew the national program that supports research and development, consumer education and technical training – at no cost to consumers or state, local, or federal governments. The bill was signed into law last week.

“With so many New Hampshire families relying on oil heat, the NORA reauthorization will lead to better, safer and more affordable heat in the cold winter months,” Shaheen said. “This will also support the development of better and more efficient heating equipment, which we in New Hampshire know is good news for our wallets and the environment.”

Shaheen added, “NORA is an example of a public-private-partnership that works, and I am so glad we will see it intact through the remainder of the decade so that New Hampshire’s small oil heat businesses can continue to develop and collaborate on ways to improve their product and help consumers.”   

Shaheen has led a bipartisan effort to reauthorize NORA after the program ended, causing important research and industry efforts like training and certification to stall. NORA’s reauthorization will bring back the structure that small, local oilheat businesses rely upon to help coordinate and collaborate on research and development, consumer education, and national training programs. Consumers will benefit from the development of improved and efficient equipment, increased safety through technician training and the availability of up-to-date information regarding safety practices and fuel conservation.  The reauthorization also strengthens the industry commitment to NORA without raising consumer costs.