On January 23, Rep. Mary Sullivan (D-Chittenden-6-5) introduced legislation (H.682) that limits the use of VW funds to electrification projects, including installing charging stations around Vermont, electrifying school and transit buses, and electrifying medium and large trucks. Rep. Sullivan was joined by 40 of her colleagues as cosponsors on the legislation.
This follows a decision from the Scott Administration to give the legislature jurisdiction over how the funds are spent. After receiving hundreds of public comments on the plan, the Agency of Natural Resources will compile the results of those public comments, along with their current draft plan, and present it to the House Energy & Technology Committee. That committee will simultaneously review Representative Sullivan’s bill and determine the best course of action. We are urging the Legislature to pass H.682 and require that the VW funds be spent on electrification.
Hundreds of Vermonters have already spoken out in favor of using the funds for electrification, and in particular electric school buses. The Administration and the Legislature have listened, but it’s now more important than ever to speak out: contact your legislators and urge them to support H.682.
Electrification just makes sense. (Watch our new video on strategic electrification to learn more) Using money from a settlement over fraudulent “clean” diesel claims to buy more diesel vehicles doesn’t make sense. H.682 would limit the Administration from investing in any new fossil fuel infrastructure with the nearly $19 million that Vermont will get from this settlement.