Certain Maine Heating Fuel Companies Adding ‘Hazmat Delivery Fee’
In a move not being taken well by some customers, Downeast Energy has added a new fee called 'Hazmat Delivery Fee' to it's charges when delivering heating fuel. According to the Kennebec Journal online, ( Edward D Murphy, Author )
Downeast Energy, sent notices to many of its customers in late December, saying it was instituting the fee to offset “a portion of the costs related to government-mandated compliance processes for the handling of hazardous materials, workplace safety, emergency preparedness and environmental protection.”
The notice included a line noting that the fee is not mandated by the local, state or federal governments and it isn’t collected on behalf of, or sent to, the government.
Most companies, at least at this point, don't seem to be charging the added fee. However, in an always-changing business climate, it's best to always check your bills for abnormalities and/or new/additional charges.