Signed by Governor Phil Scott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes new programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions standards in the thermal energy and transportation standards.

Highlights:

• Requires the electric resource acquisition budget for an entity appointed to provide electric energy efficiency and conservation programs and measures for calendar years 2021-2023 to only apply if the entity’s total electric resource budget for 2021-2023 does not exceed the entity’s total resource acquisition budget for 2018-2020 (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes an entity to spend a portion of its electric resource acquisition budget in an amount to be determined by the Public Utility Commission (PUC) but not to exceed $2 million per year on programs, measures, and services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the thermal energy or transportation sectors (Sec. 1).

• Requires programs, measures, and services authorized by this bill to (Sec. 1):

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the thermal energy or transportation sectors;

• Have a nexus with electricity usage;

• Be additive to and complementary with and not replace or be in competition with electric utility energy transformation projects so that they will result in the largest possible greenhouse gas emissions reductions in a cost-effective manner;

• Be proposed after the entity consults with any relevant state agency or department; and

• Be delivered on a statewide basis.

• Requires an entity approved to provide a program, measure, or service to provide the program, measure, or service in cooperation with a retail electricity provider (Sec. 1).

• Requires the PUC to develop standards and methods to appropriately measure the effectiveness of the programs (Sec. 1).

• Exempts any funds spent on programs, measures, and services from being counted towards the calculation of cunds used by a retail electricity provider (Sec. 1).

• Requires the PCU to on or before April 30, 2021, and every April 30 for 3 years thereafter submit a written report the House Committee on Energy and Technology and the Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Energy and on Finance concerning the aforementioned programs, measures, and services (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this act takes effect upon passage and will be repealed as of April 30, 2024 (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text