Alison Despathy: 14 reasons why the S.5 Affordable Heat Act must not pass
If you think Vermonters should be punished and charged more for using heating fuel to reliably heat their homes in the winter, then this bill is for you.
Roper: So, the ‘check back’ in S.5 isn’t really a check back
Now that the Clean Heat Standard bill is in the House, we are getting some clarity as to just how hollow even that level of “check back” really is. For one thing, it isn’t really a “check back” or a “circuit breaker” at all, it is a — new term — “throttle down.”
Fuel dealers try their luck with House reps regarding clean heat standard bill
When the clean heat standard bill, S.5, was in the Senate, Vermont fuel dealers who testified in committee were given a mere six minutes each to make their case. Now that the bill has moved over to the House Committee on Environment and Energy, they got a chance to try again with a new audience — and a little more time.
House committee takes testimony on greenhouse gas reduction bill
The House Committee on Environment and Energy combed through Senate Bill 5, which outlines a series of steps toward meeting Vermont’s climate plan that aims at achieving net zero emissions by 2050 across all energy sectors.
McClaughry: Stumbling into battle against climate change
The Democratic legislative majorities will commit to extracting over $2 billion in tax dollars from Vermont’s heating fuel customers to advance an unworkable scheme that even its advocates can’t explain — unless thousands more emails and phone calls jolt them back to reality.
Rep scolds equity official for showing how S.5 will ‘force’ low-income Vermonters into spending money they don’t have
Green pointed to the language in S.5 that does, in fact, require very specifically that 16 percent of all clean heat credits must be generated by low-income Vermonters, and another 16 percent by middle income Vermonters.
Racial Equity Office says enough with all the equity task forces
The Vermont Climate Council is currently mired in controversy over accusations it is really just another embodiment of “white privilege” that only pays lip service to social justice.
Alison Despathy: S.5 is rotten to the core
S.5 and its clean heat standard forces the thermal sector into the emissions trading trap — a game where big business and bogus environmental justice win.
Rep tells ANR secretary to ‘lighten up’ on informing citizens about cost of clean heat standard
Now that the Clean Heat Standard bill has passed the Senate and moved to the House, Moore is back defending her math, this time in the House Energy & Environment Committee — and once again she is incurring ire.
DPS director of planning: S.5 goals are ‘impossible’ to meet
“With the current workforce I would say it’s impossible,” TJ Poor, director of planning for the Department of Public Service, said. “I don’t think 700 people could do this many weatherization union units.”
Steve Thurston: The Affordable Heat Act – A wolf in sheep’s clothing
As the House Energy Committee begins its review of S.5, the committee would be well served by reviewing the PUC’s 2021 Report to the Legislature where the issue of affordability was analyzed in great detail.
Roper: VPIRG showcases widespread mental health damage they’ve inflicted on young Vermonters
Exposing young people to perpetual fear campaigns — especially when they are captive audiences in public schools — knowing as we do that it leads to adverse mental health outcomes, should be equally banned.