In an effort to prepare area residents for this year’s heating season and the expected high price of natural gas, Sen. John Doll, DFL-Burnsville, and Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz are hosting a community forum on energy efficiency Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in council chambers at Burnsville City Hall, 100 Civic Center Pkwy.

“Experts continue to warn that natural gas prices may jump 30 to 50 percent this winter,” said Doll. “There are things we all can do to prepare and reduce our energy consumption. This meeting will get us started in that direction. We will examine the reasons for the increased costs, what we can do to mitigate those increases, and learn about options available through the city, county, and state for assistance.”

Representatives from Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy and Dakota Electric will be on hand at the meeting to discuss payment, rebate, and loan programs available to residents struggling with the high price of energy. The meeting will also feature presentations from the Minnesota Department of Commerce Office of Energy Security, as well as the Center for Energy and Environment, a nonprofit organization which offers a variety of residential financing, rehabilitation, and audit services to Minnesota property owners.

For more information, contact Sen. Doll’s office at (651) 296-5975 or e-mail him at sen.john.doll@senate.mn.