> > > > > Massachusetts Energy Consumption and Outlook: <0x2022> According to 2002 data from the Energy Information Administration, Massachusetts had the 8th highest electricity prices in the nation. <0x2022> Approximately 89% of the energy resources consumed by Massachusetts in 2000 were from fossil fuels.<0x00A0> The percentage of each energy resource is as follows: oil-53%; natural gas-27%; coal-9%, renewable-6%, and; nuclear-5%. <0x2022> Approximately 40% of homes in Massachusetts heat with fuel oil.<0x00A0> Heating oil for the winter of 2004/05 cost an average 36% more than in 2003/04. <0x2022> Nearly 3% of homes in Massachusetts heat with propane.<0x00A0> Propane costs for the winter of 2004/05 rose 17% from the year before. <0x2022> A 2006 report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) said that high energy prices are hurting the Massachusetts economy by draining consumers<0x2019> disposable incomes.<0x00A0> Home heating costs accounted for 3.55% of disposable income in Massachusetts in 2001, but rose to 5.1% last year, an increase four times greater than the national rate (from 4.3% in 2001 to 4.7% last year). <0x2022> The FDIC report found Massachusetts ranked 45th in the nation in job growth during the 2005 third quarter, attributing the state<0x2019>s lagging growth in part to rising energy prices. <0x2022> A recent report from the New England Economic partnership, an economic forecast group, forecasts rising energy prices will cost the average household an extra $700 in heating and electricity costs during the 12-month period ending October 31, compared with the comparable period a year earlier.<0x00A0> In Massachusetts, that translates to an additional $1.75 billion in statewide expenses, shaving personal income by sixth-tenths of a percentage point. Increasing energy prices hurt manufacturing industries, imperiling Massachusetts jobs: <0x00A0><0x2022> In December 2005, Massachusetts was home to more than 304,400 manufacturing jobs, paying employees an average of $60,800/year, 23 percent higher than the state<0x2019>s overall average.<0x00A0> Unfortunately, rising energy costs have contributed to the loss of more than 103,500 of these high-wage manufacturing jobs since 2000.<0x00A0> <0x2022> Chemicals, plastics and rubber manufacturing <0x2013> which depend on natural gas as a critical input <0x2013> accounted for more than $5.75 billion in Massachusetts exports in 2005 and support more than 16,380 jobs directly. These jobs are also in jeopardy due to the high price of natural gas. Increasing energy prices squeeze small businesses, schools, and individual consumers: <0x2022> A November 2005 survey by the Massachusetts chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business reported that 66% of Massachusetts<0x2019>s small-business owners felt rising energy costs negatively impacted on their businesses, with one in five saying the negative impact of high energy costs was <0x201C>serious.<0x201D> <0x2022> High energy costs have affected numerous Massachusetts school districts.<0x00A0> The Plymouth school district reposted that it will likely go more than $600,000 over budget this year because of increased energy costs.<0x00A0> The Abington School district spent $7,000 on gasoline in 2005; his year, they expect to pay $18,000. <0x2022> More than half of Massachusetts residents<0x2019> energy bills go to home heating, bills that are only getting bigger.<0x00A0> The average energy bill for Massachusetts homes heated with natural gas will increase by about $350 in 2006. Average energy bills for homes heated with oil will go up about $260.<0x00A0> Propane-heated home owners will see their bills rise by about $170, while electric heating costs will rise by about $20. <0x2022> In 2005, an estimated 131,000 households throughout Massachusetts received more than $91.9 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) funding to help pay their heating and cooling bills.<0x00A0> As of December 31, 2005, Massachusetts had received 131,448 applications-- a 6.9% increase over applications received in December 2004 (122,958 applications). <0x2022> Massachusetts gasoline prices are currently 20 percent higher than last year, costing Massachusetts households $2,300 annually.<0x00A0> Increasing energy prices squeeze farmers and agricultural industries: <0x2022> Massachusetts is home to more than 6,100 farms, which experienced a 28% hike in fuel costs in 2005. <0x2022> Greenhouse and nursery product operations account for 38% of Massachusetts<0x2019> agricultural income, with total cash receipts of $149 million in 2004.<0x00A0> Many greenhouse operators are paying more for natural gas, heating oil and electricity than in past years, which has decreased many greenhouse operators<0x2019> profit margins.<0x00A0> <0x2022> In 2004, Massachusetts farmers spent nearly $219 million on inputs such as feed, seed, livestock, fertilizer, electricity and fuel. <0x2022> In 2006, Massachusetts farmers face fertilizer prices of $500 or more per ton, more than double the 2002 price.