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By Sam Douglass
Last Friday, the Vermont House of Representatives approved legislation that targets new construction and expansions of data centers. The bill creates regulations that supporters say will protect electricity ratepayers from increased costs, protect the environment, and promote equity.
The bill, H.727, introduced by Rep. Laura Sibilia (I-Windham 2), seeks to regulate data centers requiring 20 or more megawatts by mandating annual reporting and requiring operators to enter into large load service equity contracts.
These contracts would hold data centers accountable for paying their fair share of grid and infrastructure costs while ensuring that Vermonters aren’t subsidizing their electricity use.
Under the proposed legislation, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) must demonstrate that the data center serves the general good of the state before approving contracts. The PUC will also have to ensure that the terms of the contract will not negatively impact the grid, the environment, or conflict with environmental justice or equity policies. Contracts will also require collateral to mitigate risk, commitment to minimum payments aligned with expected electricity use, and fees for excess use.
Standards will also be established for the use and discharge of water, including PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) and other contaminants.
H.727 is similar to another piece of legislation introduced this year. A separate proposal, S.205, introduced by Sen. Rebecca White (D-Windsor), would affect data centers that operate on 100 or more megawatts, but unlike H.727, would institute a complete moratorium on the siting or construction of new data centers until July 1, 2030. The bill also called for additional research to be conducted on their impact on the environment and electricity rates.
Vermont isn’t the first state to pass such legislation. Over the past few years, the majority of states have passed laws to regulate or otherwise restrict data centers over concerns of high utility usage. This is in contrast to federal policies on artificial intelligence and data centers following the December 2025 executive order that aimed to deregulate artificial intelligence in the states to avoid inconsistent state laws.
Information for In Committee news reports are sourced from GoldenDomeVt.com and the General Assembly website. Generative AI has not been used in the writing of this story.
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Categories: Legislation, Science and Technology
Let’s be honest, who wrote these bills? It wasn’t these legislators, who wrote them? Who sent them to be put on the docket? We are not expected to believe this are we? Dig a bit deeper and we’ll find who is really ruining Vermont.
The democrats in the legislature lack the skill to craft even the most absurd legislation. That is a job for our unelected policy makers like VPIRG, VINS, VNRC, VSEA, VNRB and VTNEA. The party that claims that the President is engaging in undemocratic practices is owned and run by faceless acronyms.
Aside from the obvious, that Vermont would be last kid picked for any data center in the world, let alone the United States, big anything wants nothing to do with Vermont, unless it’s is being a colony of the United Nations, are leaders are not interested.
What I don’t understand is the fact now we are trying to protect Vermonters from high energy costs? What, has anyone looked at an energy bill lately? Vermonters have invested in all kinds of energy gimmicks, promising lower costs. Now I am to believe they care? Gimme a break. When I see my energy bill go down because someone in Montpelier truly makes it happen, then I believe, until then…. Solar didn’t help, wind didn’t help, hydro electric doesn’t help. How about we fire up the nuclear option back here in Vermont? Any better suggestions?
The democrats in the Vermont legislature have dwindled down the list of allowable businesses over the years, including turning on farmers, which used to be sacred in Vermont. Data centers will only be allowed if they are solar/wind powered, the semiconductors are organic and owned only by non-profits. They will have to include 1 unit of subsidized housing for every 300 square feet of building space. Their parking lots will have to provide a charging station for each space and no fossil fuel-burning vehicles will be allowed on the premises.
You are so right.
More feel good legislation, that plays to the base. Given Vermont’s anti-business attitude, no business would try to put a data center in the state. Now that Beta Tech has gone public it is only a matter of time before they start moving more of their operation out of state, just like Green Mountain Coffee, B&J and more
Oh boy,seems like every legislator HAS to write bills. They walk thru taxpelier’s doors and instruct someone to compose the data in each bill, then it hits the House or Senate, Multiple feel good legislation from these people. But they got some kind of knowledge to justified being paid huge salary for doing nothing. To them what sticks, sticks, what doesn’t doesn’t matter. They are striking for their voting base. It’s so crazy and hope to be noticed. Look up each legislator’s web site and see the bills they introduced. What a waste.
While the Dems are concerned with electrical costs and the environment, they seem blind to the implementation of an AI-powered digital control grid, putting you on the blockchain with the coming digital ID and digital currency. Trump launched his $500 billion AI Stargate project “to keep up with China,” remember. You mean China, the country that digitally tracks every movement of their citizens, and turns them into non-persons for non-compliance? That China?
This bill is a campaign season distraction. Nobody is going to consider building a data center in VT. It took Walmart 20 years to open a store in St. Albans, do you really think Google is looking at Vermont as a place to do business? But now Sibilia et al, who have been jacking up electric rates with the Renewable Energy Standard, Efficiency VT surcharge, etc. will use this vote to misdirect and say “look at us we’re looking out for your electric bills” when all the meaningful legislation they pass is doing the opposite.