O'Neill Redefines His Role

Current energy projects and household conservation tips are part of an energy conservation conference scheduled this Saturday in Somerville.

The conference is designed to teach participants how to save money and energy through solar energy, insulating homes and modifying oil burners.

"I don't believe there is a house in the state where people can't learn to conserve energy," Lt. Gov. Thomas O'Neill said Friday. O'Neill is co-sponsoring the conference with Somerville Mayor Eugene C. Brune, Cambridge Mayor Francis H. Duehay '55, and Cambridge City Manager James L. Sullivan.

An electric display car will highlight the conference, along with booths and demonstrations of the conservation methods being shown. The morning session will cover household energy-saving techniques costing less than $200 and requiring less than a weekend of work.

The afternoon session will cover getting loans for these projects and current energy projects in Cambridge and Somerville.

A $300,000 Department of Energy grant is financing the conference, seventh in a statewide series. O'Neill said he will be involved with the project through the fall.

O'Neill added he will start a solar energy program. "We in politics have treated solar energy almost as if it has been an exotic art, and the reason for that is that it has not been affordable to middle-income and lower-income people," he said, adding that solar energy is now much less expensive.

The conference will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday at Lincoln Park Community School in Somerville.