FARMINGTON — The University of Maine System last week notified Summit Natural Gas and Trane U.S. Inc. that the University of Maine at Farmington would like to work with both parties to bring natural gas to campus and to convert certain University facilities to use this energy.

UMF next will seek to meet with the selected parties to finalize an agreement and to develop plans to move forward with the project. The time line for next steps and for bringing natural gas to campus will be part of those discussions, noted Kathryn A. Foster, UMF President.

State Sen. Tom Saviello, among the local officials who have pushing for a decision, said he is happy the university system has decided to move forward but disappointed it took so long to make a decision. When the original request for proposals were issued in 2012, it looked  like a natural gas line would have already been in place by this time, he said.

Upon hearing UMF’s decision, he said he immediately contacted Summit Natural Gas, and the preliminary indication is a line will not be in place until 2015 ,because of its schedule of projects already in place. UMF, Franklin Memorial Hospital and PalletOne in Livermore Falls are the largest potential customers, but many residents are anxious for the opportunity to tie into natural gas, because if could potentially cut their heating costs by as much as half, compared to the present use of fuel oil.

Rep. Lance Harvell earlier stated homeowners could expect  to save some $800  per year when they convert to natural gas and that it will be a boost for local businesses. Saviello said Summit has the funding available now to expand additional lines to Farmington, and it is just a matter of scheduling the project..