A bicycle advocacy group from Maine is disappointed about the limited scope and accessibility of a new state program offering rebates for the purchase of electric bikes (e-bikes).
The pilot program run by Efficiency Maine takes an organizational approach to the rebates, issuing them to public housing agencies and other organizations that serve low-to moderate-income people. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine issued a statement saying the program should also offer the rebates directly to eligible individuals.
"It is a good program [and] we’re happy that they went with it," said Jean Sideris, the executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. "However, we are disappointed that it didn’t include an individual rebate because we’ve seen that [approach] be very successful. It's just a more direct way to help people access these e-bikes, rather than having to go through a service organization.”
The e-bike program was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills last June, adding e-bikes to the state's preexisting rebate program for electric vehicles. The Bicycle Coalition of Maine previously provided testimony supporting the original bill in last year's state legislative session.
Sideris says the Coalition believes the rebate program can reach a greater number of eligible people letting them apply for the rebates themselves, citing the success of e-bike rebate programs in South Portland and Freeport, which successfully utilized an individual rebate process.
"There are certainly a number of people who have a two-, a five-, maybe up to a 10-mile commute to go into work," said Sideris, "where an e-bike would really make the difference being able to make that trip or not. By encouraging this rebate for individuals, it could make it a little bit more accessible to them."
$50,000 has been made available for the pilot program. Eligible organizations are now able to apply for the rebates on the Efficiency Maine website.
