Recently, after weeks of heated testimony the House Energy and Technology Committee approved a new “clean heat standard” program on a 7-2 vote. This bill, H.715, is the most consequential piece of climate legislation being debated in Vermont this session. Heating accounts for over 30% of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions, and reforms in this sector …
The Vermont legislature wrapped up its 2021 session Friday, and it was one for the history books. One big winner? Action on the climate crisis. We’ll be sharing a full recap of the legislative session soon, but first we wanted to share some highlights from the state budget. In the middle of a pandemic unlike …
The Vermont legislature went big on climate action. Here are the details. Read More »
Right now, the Vermont State Senate is considering how to invest the over $1 billion in federal stimulus funds the American Rescue Plan is delivering to Vermont. We need to make sure that they understand Vermonters see climate action investments as critical to our state’s ability to build back from the COVID-19 crisis in a …
Climate Investment is Critical – Let Your Senator Know! Read More »
In a win for climate action, H.439, a bill to increase the funding of weatherization efforts in Vermont, passed the House and now moves onto the Senate. The bill increases the fuels tax by 2 cents a gallon, which will bring in an additional $4.5 million in revenue for weatherization projects for low income households. …
VT House Votes to Boost Low-Income Weatherization Funding Read More »
The “Vermont Legislator Roll Call Profiles” published by the Ethan Allen Institute on Tuesday had at least one notable omission: the 25-5 roll call vote on Senate Resolution 7 recognizing climate change science. This omission leads us to ask, “What’s EAI afraid of?” The Ethan Allen Institute has a documented history of denying climate change …
Is Ethan Allen Institute Trying To Hide Its Climate Denying History? Read More »
This afternoon, the Vermont House voted overwhelmingly to approve The Renewable Energy Standard and Energy Transformation Program (H.40). H.40 is a critical piece of legislation that would put Vermont in line 29 other states, including every state in the New England region, in requiring electric utilities to provide customers with renewable power. RESET requires a …
House Overwhelmingly Approves Renewable Energy Bill Read More »
On Tuesday the Vermont House is set to cast their final vote on a critical renewable energy bill (H.40), which would require Vermont utilities to provide their customers with renewable power. VPIRG expects a move to cut part of the bill that would get new help to over 85,000 Vermont families and businesses to cut …
Today Vermont Gas CEO Don Rendall announced that the company has canceled plans for Phase 2 of the proposed fracked gas pipeline. Phase 2 would have carried fracked gas underneath Lake Champlain to International Paper’s plant in Ticonderoga, NY. VPIRG Executive Director Paul Burns had this to say on Vermont Gas’ decision to cancel Phase 2 …
Vermont Gas Cancels Phase 2 of Fracked Gas Pipeline Read More »
Overnight lows hit minus 17 degrees in Montpelier and weren’t much warmer come morning. The cold-climate heat pumps we installed upstairs and downstairs in our 1880’s cape were put to the test last night. Guess what – they’re still working! What to do on days like today was one of the biggest questions we had …
Energy Co-Op of Vermont has announced that they will lease cold climate heat pumps. Cold climate heat pumps are a game-changing technology that can help Vermonters cut their dependence on fossil fuels and reduce home-heating costs. For more, check out this story on VT Digger.
