Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Senate voted 20-10 today to override Governor Phil Scott’s veto of S.5, the Affordable Heat Act. The bill, entitled An act relating to affordably meeting the mandated greenhouse gas reductions for the thermal sector through efficiency, weatherization measures, electrification, and decarbonization, now heads to the House of Representatives for another override vote. The Legislature hopes to wrap up business this week. They have already scheduled an override session for June if needed. Other possible gubernatorial vetoes include the budget (H.494) which is typically the last item on lawmakers' agenda.
Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement on the Senate's vote on S.5, imposing a clean heat standard:
“Unfortunately, the Senate has chosen to override my veto on S.5, but I want to thank the bipartisan group of senators, including all seven Republicans and Democratic Senators Mazza, Starr and Wrenner for having the courage to put their constituents first by voting to sustain.
“I also want to thank the many thousands of Vermonters who have reached out to their legislators advocating against this bill. The House will take its final vote later this week. Please continue to make your voice heard, and I will continue to work to make it at the center of this debate
“Regardless of whether or not your representatives listen to you this week, Vermonters should know that I will not stop advocating on your behalf. I will continue to offer policy solutions that help people, not punish those who can least afford it. That is what you elected me to do.”
Senate leadership sent the following statement:
“Governor Scott and the Republican Party have made it clear that they have no intention to address the climate crisis and will limit their involvement to delaying and criticizing our climate legislation,” said Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth. "Future generations are counting on us to act on climate. Today’s override represents our commitment to them and to all Vermonters. We don’t have time for more delays.”
“Vermonters are seeing the impacts of climate change and they have called on the legislature to act,” said Senator Becca White, member of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy and co-chair of the Vermont climate caucus. “S.5 would move Vermont toward a more equitable, affordable and sustainable energy future. I want Vermonters to have a smooth landing as we transition off of fossil fuels, by design rather than disaster, and this is our best opportunity to do that.”
S.5 gives the Public Utility Commission (PUC) the authority to develop a marketplace, orders and rules for implementing a Clean Heat Standard through a public process. It establishes a “check back” provision that guarantees that no clean heat standard program will be implemented without the legislature’s approval through the passage of a bill and the subsequent enactment of that bill.
“Vermonters are facing both a climate emergency and a heating emergency,” said Senator Bray, chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. “We’re seeing heating fuels at record high prices, and Vermonters need and deserve cleaner, money-saving options. I’m grateful to the Vermont Senate for listening to Vermonters and taking careful, responsible action today.”
“The status quo is not sustainable for Vermonters,” said Senator Anne Watson, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy. “The upfront cost of switching to cleaner heating options or weatherizing has been a barrier for many Vermont families. This bill is designed to start the process of designing a transition that would bring down those upfront costs to a rate that is accessible for all.”
S.5 will design a transition for Vermonters to reduce their dependence on high-cost, price-volatile, and polluting fossil heating fuels. A Clean Heat Standard would reduce pollution over time, in line with science-based pollution-reduction requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) of 2020.
Environmental, business and social equity organizations applaud Vermont Senate for vote to override gubernatorial veto of Affordable Heat Act
Today, in a significant step forward for Vermont’s commitment to addressing climate change and delivering cleaner, affordable heating options to Vermonters, the Vermont Senate voted 20-10 to override Governor Phil Scott’s veto of S.5, the Affordable Heat Act. A coalition of environmental, business and equity-focused organizations applaud Senators for their dedication to advancing this critical climate policy as the bill now heads to the House of Representatives for another override vote.
The Affordable Heat Act is designed to help Vermonters access lower cost, cleaner heat and move away from polluting, expensive, price-volatile fossil fuels. If enacted, this legislation will put Vermont on a path to reduce carbon pollution in Vermont’s heating sector in line with our legal requirements. The policy has undergone several years of analysis, research, and public engagement before, during, and after the Climate Action Plan’s development and adoption.
In recent weeks, the majority of legislators made clear they understand that the status quo is unaffordable, inequitable and unsustainable. Governor Scott, clearly, does not. Despite the Legislature delivering on his request for more information and an ensuing, affirmative vote in 2025 before program implementation, the Governor is once again proposing a costly delay. Fortunately, Senators have boldly stood against the Governor’s impediment with the understanding that Vermonters need help accessing more affordable, less polluting heating options.
“The Affordable Heat Act finally puts Vermont on the path to equitably transition to cheaper, cleaner heat,” said Ben Edgerly Walsh, Climate & Energy Program Director for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. “The Governor’s veto flew in the face of what his administration’s own analysis says is necessary to achieve Vermont’s climate pollution reduction requirements, and we are grateful to the Senate for swiftly voting to override.”
“We are grateful that the Senate voted to override Governor Scott’s disappointing veto of the Affordable Heat Act. The Senate recognized that the bill aims to help all Vermonters transition to more affordable heating options, instead of leaving too many people reliant on heating fuels like oil whose price has spiked $2 per gallon in the past year,” said Lauren Hierl, Executive Director of Vermont Conservation Voters. “We hope the House swiftly overrides this veto as well, so the state can get to work developing this program to help Vermonters access cheaper and cleaner heating sources.”
“We’ve already lost a generation’s worth of climate action because of deception and delay,” said Elena Mihaly, VP and State Director at Conservation Law Foundation. “The Senate’s override of the Governor’s irresponsible veto acknowledges the urgency of the climate crisis. The Affordable Heat Act is a no-regrets opportunity to save Vermonters money and wean ourselves off dirty, polluting fossil fuels. We applaud the Senate for its decisive action on behalf of Vermonters.”
“I appreciate the hard vote 20 courageous Vermont Senators took today, allowing a process to proceed to explore how to help Vermonters reduce their energy bills and begin to access cleaner, healthier, more affordable heat,,” said Johanna Miller, Energy and Climate Program Director at the Vermont Natural Resources Council (www.vnrc.org). “The status quo isn’t serving anyone well. Not people, and certainly not the planet. There are better solutions, and the process the Affordable Heat Act will catalyze is essential to understanding what those are so that no Vermonters are left behind in this inevitable transition.”
In Vermont, 73% of the energy used in the thermal sector comes from fossil fuels, all of which is imported, and 75% of those dollars leave our local economy. Enacting the Affordable Heat Act provides Vermont an opportunity to do things differently. With S.5, by transitioning the business model of fossil fuel heating providers, we can reduce overall heating costs for Vermonters by a projected $2 billion, or an average of $7,500 per household, just from actions taken by 2030.
“We applaud those Senators who casted their vote today to override the Governor’s veto. Their yes vote represents the bold action that we need on climate change. We respectfully call upon our Representatives to follow suit.” said Roxanne Vought, Executive Director, Businesses for Social Responsibility.
“Thank you to the Vermont Senate for their continued leadership for climate justice by overriding the Governor’s veto. The Affordable Heat Act is an important step to creating a more equitable and affordable thermal sector and ensuring all Vermonters benefit from the transition to less polluting energy sources,” said Dan Fingas, VT Movement Politics Director for Rights & Democracy.
“The Vermont Sierra Club is pleased with the Vermont Senate's vote to override Governor Scott's veto. These thoughtful Senators took the time to overcome the fear tactics distributed by opposition groups and a political philosophy that prefers the status quo. We believe regulating heating fuels is critical in reducing carbon emissions and meeting our state's legally binding climate requirements. The Affordable Heat Act is a step forward in removing Vermonter's dependence on dirty and expensive fossil fuels,” said Robb Kidd, Conservation Program Manager, Vermont Sierra Club.
Lt. Governor Zuckerman Statement on Veto Override of the Affordable Heat Bill
“When we passed the Global Warming Solutions Act in 2020, we committed ourselves to finding ways to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and lessen Vermont’s role in the continued warming of the planet. We have seen more than enough data to know that the changing climate is the consequence of our own actions, and that if we continue our current trajectory then we will see more and more disastrous effects. We know the ski season is already being impacted as is our iconic maple season. These impacts will negatively impact our economy and our culture.
“The Senate has taken the right step in voting to override the Governor’s veto. Inaction in the face of a crisis is not an option. The crisis is already happening. Waiting and putting the responsibility to fix the climate on the shoulders of future generations is not acceptable. Though I know that this bill is not perfect, compromises were made on all sides. If enacted, in two years, it will strike a balance between making clean heat affordable and accessible to everyday Vermonters and taking bold steps to reduce our state’s greenhouse gas emissions.”
Sources: 5.9.2023. Governor. Vermont Natural Resources Council. Montpelier
