According to the latest summary from the Governor’s Energy Office, Maine is experiencing some welcome relief from years of high fuel prices.

Since 2008, when gasoline skyrocketed to more than $4 a gallon, gas has rarely dipped below the $3 mark. Heating fuel prices have consistently ranged between $3 and $4 a gallon, as well. While there are hopes that solar and wind will provide our future energy needs, now is still the Age of Oil, and we Mainers are more reliant than most.

So, when oil prices go down, as they have in recent months, we celebrate, and appreciate the jolt of economic stimulus in our wallets.

According to the Energy Office, the average statewide price of No. 2 heating oil has dropped from $3.53 in November 2013 to $3.06 at last reporting in mid-November. Kerosene has gone from $3.94 to $3.62. Propane prices have actually gone up a few cents to $2.83 in the same time frame. On the gasoline front, GasBuddy.com reported Monday that the average price is $2.91 per gallon, which is 55 cents less than a year ago and 19 cents lower than just a month ago. The national average, according to the website that provides real-time local gas prices, is $2.78 per gallon.

According to news reports, we can probably rely on these prices to remain relatively low for the foreseeable future since American production of oil, at 9 million barrels per day, is at levels not seen since 1983, when Texas Tea was in full spigot. Now, thanks to technology, Texas wells are being buoyed by shale oil deposits in North and South Dakota, New York, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, and other areas once thought dried up.

In Maine, we aren’t seeing any direct results from the oil boom, of course, but we are feeling some of the benefits. And it’s needed. Maine’s average per-capita wages are lower than most other states; the cost to do business in Maine, which includes overhead expenses associated with heating and transportation costs, ranks near the bottom of the statistical heap. And, according to data tracking how many miles Mainers drive on average, the state average of more than 10,000 miles per person ranks in the top quarter on an annual basis. So, the lower price at the pump is something most Mainers immediately appreciate.

Besides an oil glut thanks primarily to domestic oil supplies, there are many reasons for the lower price. One, the dollar is stronger. So, that means our dollar can buy more from foreign sources. Secondly, some say geopolitics might be playing a part since Russia’s an oil producer and other nations may be punishing the country for its territorial advances on Ukraine. Third, market forces are at play, with speculators exiting a market that many expect to continue to plummet due to an oversupply. Whatever the reason, we’re paying less, and nobody is complaining, especially retailers who will probably see more activity this holiday shopping season due to more jingle in people’s pocketbooks.

But, for those who remember when gas was less than $1 a gallon (and there are many who remember when it was less than 25 cents), $3 gas and heating oil is still expensive. There are many who are making close to minimum wage who struggle to keep up with the bills. For folks who need some help filling their oil tank, there are programs available such as LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program), which is a federal program administered by the states to provide relief. The Maine State Housing Authority, which runs the program, has certain income and other criteria applicants must meet, but for those struggling it’s good to know help is available.

Then, there are the fuel collaboratives we have in many towns around Greater Portland. These range from Casco Cares, Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Project GRACE in Scarborough. Nearly every town has a group of private individuals who raise money to provide fuel assistance. These organizations usually can fill the gap for those who don’t qualify for state assistance but still can’t afford heating oil. The best place to start is your local town hall officials who can point you in the right direction, whether you need assistance or want to donate.

As we get ready to enter the winter months, it’s a welcome relief – at least for the time being – that our heating oil and gasoline bills won’t clobber us like they have in years past. We say, enjoy it while it lasts. But, rather than splurging your newfound fortune, it’d be a good idea to start saving now for those higher electricity rates we keep hearing about. As they say, if it’s not one thing, it’s another.

–John Balentine, managing editor