The 2023 legislative session is well underway with an unprecedented slate of new legislators in the State House, and a clear commitment from legislators and legislative leadership in both the House and Senate that climate action is a top priority. After a frustrating failure to override a veto by a single vote in the House last session, the Clean Heat Standard is back and stronger than ever, newly renamed the Affordable Heat Act. The bill was introduced as S.5 with broad support and has been taken up in earnest by the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee.
The Affordable Heat Act brings great improvements over last year’s bill in terms of equity, accountability, and transparency, and moving away from combustion while prioritizing electrification and weatherization. VPIRG is thrilled to see these improvements that we have been pushing for incorporated into the bill, and we’re doing everything we can to ensure this next step in regulating the climate pollution in Vermont’s heating sector makes it across the finish line, this year.
This is just the beginning – stay tuned for more on the bill’s progress, and how you can be part of this effort to finally ensure that we create a path to hitting Vermont’s climate requirements and helping get Vermonters off of fossil fuels.
Check out the following fact sheets to learn more about the key provisions of the Affordable Heat Act:
Still have questions? Our allies at the Energy Action Network have put together a great FAQ to answer your questions about the Affordable Heat Act: https://www.eanvt.org/affordable-heat-FAQ/