By Guy Page
The Scott administration has reported to the Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Committee receipt of a $2,543,564 federal grant to the Agency of Natural Resources for climate mitigation.
As reported in yesterday’s Vermont Daily Chronicle, establishing a state climate agenda was essential to receive $32 million in the federal jobs and infrastructure stimulus “Build Back Better” law. It is unclear whether this federal funding is connected to ‘Build Back Better.’
As reported in today’s House Calendar, the $2.5 million grant from the U.S. EPA is “phase one of a two-phase funding opportunity aimed to support Vermont with climate change mitigation planning efforts. A comprehensive climate action plan will be developed, to overlap with and be synonymous to the required update to Vermont’s Climate Action Plan in 2025.”
Additional federal funding will provide $456,436 for a single staff position through June, 2027. “This position will serve as administrative lead developing the updated Climate Action Plan with the Vermont Climate Council and perform added work required by the EPA grant.”
The Joint Fiscal Committee reviews fiscal issues and is charged with approval of grants, as well as oversight and management of the Legislative Fiscal Staff who work for the Joint Fiscal Office.
All of Joint Fiscal’s members are legislative leaders: Senate Appropriations Chair Jane Kitchel, House Ways & Means (tax) Chair Emilie Kornheiser, Senate Pro Tem Philip Baruth, House Appropriations Clerk James Harrison, Senate Finance Chair Ann Cummings, House Appropriations Chair Diane Lanpher, Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Sears, House Appropriations Vice-Chair Robin Scheu, Senate Appropriations Clerk Richard Westman, and House Human Services Chair Theresa Wood.