February 4, 2010 – Portland and Augusta, Maine – Preti Flaherty announced today that its Energy and Telecommunications Practice Group has successfully won a collective $2.2 million in funding for seven clients involved in energy efficiency projects at their respective industrial sites. Energy attorneys Steve Hudson and Todd Griset have been leading the effort, using their knowledge of the federal stimulus program to obtain stimulus funds for clients. They are also highly-experienced with Maine's Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, another source of funding for these clients.

Collectively, Preti Flaherty's seven clients won approximately one-quarter of the total amount of stimulus and RGGI funds awarded in Maine. Our clients will use the grant money to support $3.1 million in total project expenditures. The seven clients include Fraser Paper, NewPage, Katahdin Paper Company, Madison Paper, Fraser Paper, Lincoln Paper and Tissue, Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, Inc., and Fraser Timber.

According to attorney Anthony Buxton, Chair of the firm's Energy Practice Group, "Preti Flaherty has been a leader in the energy field since Maine first contemplated carbon regulation. Our advocacy on behalf of the Industrial Energy Consumer Group and others has resulted in favorable consideration of industrial clients for carbon avoidance funding, which is unique nationwide."

In all, Preti's clients won a quarter of the total amount of funds awarded. Our clients will use this grant money to support $3.1 million in total project expenditures.

Buxton added, "We look forward to remaining engaged in the stakeholder process over how future grant programs will operate. Although the federal stimulus component of the 2009 awards may be a one-time program, we anticipate the RGGI program to generate up to $10 million in available funding per year. This can do a lot of combat climate change."