By Guy Page
A vote to repeal the Clean Heat Standard will be held in the Vermont Senate this afternoon. The vote will be close and Lt. Gov. John Rodgers has said he will cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of repeal.
As shown in today’s Senate calendar (page 1114), the proposed amendment has been attached to the third and final reading of H.493, the state budget AKA The Big Bill. The Senate gave preliminary approval to the budget yesterday. However, no final budget vote will be held until the upper chamber considers a Clean Heat Standard repeal amendment proposed by Sen. Scott Beck and reportedly backed by the other 12 members of the minority Republican caucus.
Thirteen votes leaves Beck two votes shy of a tie, in which case Rodgers has promised to vote with the Republicans. Will two Democrats vote in favor of repeal?
The Clean Heat Standard attempts to transition Vermont’s home and business heating from fossil fuels (mostly heating oil and natural gas) to electric-powered heat pumps, wood pellet stoves, and weatherization. The administrative-heavy system would be funded by a charge on wholesale fossil fuels.
Opponents say the charge is in effect a carbon tax weaponized to transition away from reliance on fossil fuel heat to electrification. They also say it would disproportionately impact poor, rural Vermonters with limited budget flexibility living in older homes.
Supporters say the Clean Heat Standard is the Legislature’s best solution to reaching mandated carbon emission reductions goals.
Contact information for Vermont Senators
Constituents may contact their Vermont senators at the State House by phone at 802-828-2228, or by email (see below).