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Larry Grondin is the president of R.J. Grondin & Sons in Gorham and chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors.
In the construction business, we deal in realities every day.
We know what it takes to build a home, repair a bridge, or expand a local business. We track material costs closely, manage tight timelines, and adjust when prices shift. One factor touches every part of that work: energy.
That’s why proposals like Maine’s Climate Superfund bill, LD 1870, raise serious concerns for those of us in the construction industry.
There is no question that Maine should take steps to strengthen its infrastructure and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Building more resilient communities is something we all support. But how we approach that goal matters just as much as the goal itself.
Construction depends on affordable and reliable energy at every stage. Producing materials like cement, steel, and asphalt requires significant energy. Transporting those materials to job sites depends on fuel. Running equipment, powering tools, and keeping projects on schedule all rely on steady, predictable energy costs.
When energy prices rise, construction costs follow.
Policies that impose significant new financial burdens on energy producers rarely stop there. Those costs tend to move through the system, increasing the price of fuel, electricity, and materials. For contractors, that means higher bids. For developers, it means tighter margins. And for communities, it often means projects that are delayed, scaled back, or canceled altogether.
In a state like Maine, where energy costs are already among the highest in the country, that risk deserves serious attention.
We are already seeing the impact of rising costs across the industry. Housing projects become harder to finance. Infrastructure improvements face new budget constraints. Small businesses looking to expand or renovate find themselves reconsidering whether they can afford to move forward.
These are not abstract concerns. They are real decisions happening every day in communities across the state.
If energy costs increase further, the effects will not be limited to contractors. Families trying to buy a home will feel it. Municipalities working to maintain roads and public buildings will feel it. Employers looking to grow and create jobs will feel it.
That is why Maine needs a balanced approach to energy policy.
We can and should continue to invest in cleaner technologies and reduce emissions over time. But we also need to ensure that energy remains affordable and reliable throughout that transition. An all-of-the-above energy strategy, one that includes renewables alongside traditional and emerging energy sources, offers a more practical path forward.
Energy transitions do not happen overnight. Moving too quickly to impose new costs on existing energy sources, without fully viable and affordable alternatives in place, risks creating unintended consequences that slow economic growth and strain household budgets.
Construction is about building for the future. But that future depends on smart decisions today.
If we want Maine to remain a place where people can afford to live, work, and invest, we need policies that support both sustainability and economic strength. That means focusing on solutions that expand energy options, encourage innovation, and keep costs in check.
Because at the end of the day, you can’t build a stronger Maine if the cost of building becomes too high.
