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� VERMONT GOVERNOR CALLS COST ESTIMATES OF CHS ‘ ALARMING ’
Governor Phil Scott updated Vermonters on the costs and barriers to implementing the Legislature ’ s Clean Heat Standard , and the impacts it will have on affordability and the most vulnerable .
Scott spoke in a press conference on Sept . 12 , and the transcript was published online as “ Governor Scott ’ s Blog .” It has been edited for clarity and space considerations :
Last year , I vetoed S . 5 , the so-called “ Affordable Heat Act ” which established a Clean Heat Standard .
Unfortunately , the Legislature overrode that veto , so the bill became law . Now I want to be clear , we don ’ t necessarily disagree with the goals within the Clean Heat
Standard like reducing emissions from the thermal sector . And , we ’ ve actually already invested over $ 200 million in the climate sector in the last couple years .
Our disagreement is in how we get there . I ’ ve always believed affordability considerations should be taken seriously , because they ’ re significant .
We need to be thoughtful and realistic , and make sure we ’ re not hurting the Vermonters who can least afford it .
After the Legislature overrode my veto , I told Vermonters we ’ d update them along the way so they have a good understanding of how this will impact them .
Just last week , the consultant charged with studying the potential impacts and cost of this law presented their findings .
And not only are the costs extremely high , at almost $ 10 billion , the report also points to other challenges like workforce shortages and just months before the Legislature will be asked to move forward with this policy , there are still many
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‘ THE FACT IS 70 % OF VERMONTERS RELY ON FOSSIL FUELS TO HEAT THEIR HOMES . TO CHANGE THIS , WE NEED TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH THIS TRANSITION , NOT PUNISH THEM .’
- Vermont Gov . Phil Scott
unanswered questions , like , who actually pays for what .
However , I did see that Senator Bray , one of the architects of the Affordable Heat Act , said it could add $ 1.70 to a gallon of heating fuel .
And we can ’ t forget about the Renewable Energy Standard , another bill the Legislature also passed over my veto , which will raise electrical rates , costing Vermonters millions of dollars .
And with the already-high cost of living … historic property tax increases , higher DMV fees , a new payroll tax , and so much more this Legislature has passed , the cost estimates for the Legislature ’ s Clean Heat Standard are alarming .
All along the way , we asked the Legislature to fully consider the impacts of the Clean Heat Standard and be honest about the costs and complications .
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Now that there ’ s an election around the corner , we ’ re seeing some legislators having second thoughts . But I ’ m concerned about what they ’ ll do in January when the election is over .
Now , I ’ d like to end by reading from my 2023 budget address , when talking about this clean heat policy . Again , this was almost two years ago :
“ The fact is 70 % of Vermonters rely on fossil fuels to heat their homes . “ To change this , we need to help people through this transition , not punish them .
“ We must also answer some tough questions , which I get asked all the time , like :
“ Can our electrical grid handle the load needed for a cleaner and more affordable energy future ?
“ How will we make sure people stay warm or charge their vehicles , when , not if , the power goes out ?
“ And most importantly , how do we make sure lower and moderate-income families can afford the switch ?
“ There are solutions to these questions and I share the sense of urgency here . But we ’ ve got to get this right .
“ Doing this strategically , with the understanding we can ’ t hurt the very people we ’ re trying to help will ultimately get us where we all want to go faster and with much less conflict .
“ So , my budget dedicates funding to our Climate Office to develop a real plan , outlining exactly what work needs to be done on what timeline and at what cost . And we ’ ll bring this plan back to you , so everyone can see the details .
“ Because as is the case for any project like roads , bridges and buildings . The Legislature has an obligation to debate and vote on these specifics , in bill form , and
6 OCTOBER 2024 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www . fueloilnews . com