PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 4, 2025
Tariffs that took effect Tuesday targeted all products from Canada and Mexico, hitting particularly hard in Maine, where residents depend more heavily on heating oil than in any other state. President Donald Trump slapped 25% tariffs against all goods, with energy facing a 10% tariff. Consumers of heating oil and propane will feel the hit by the end of the week, he said, and households that are struggling to make their payments will now pay 10% more. “This will be a hard pill to swallow,” said Patrick Woodcock, president and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and ex-director of the Maine Energy Office. More than 80% of heating fuel and gasoline is imported to the state from Canada. ISO-New England, the region’s grid operator, said it estimates it would be on the hook for $66 million to $165 million a year to pay a 10% to 25% tariff on electricity imported from Canada. “In a worst-case scenario, the ISO could be forced to seek bankruptcy protection and the federal government could restrict or ban Canadian electricity imports into New England until the duties are paid,” it said.