|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Paul Bean
Following loss of their supermajority in the 2024 General Election, Democrat leaders in the State House seem willing to reconsider or even potentially abandon some climate and environmental policies they have long championed.
This change in perspective comes following the legislature’s shake up this last election cycle with Democrats losing more seats in Vermont than in any other state. “With 13 Republicans now, the [Senate] Majority realizes they do not have the votes to pass what was contemplated,” said Scott Beck, the newly elected Senator and Minority Leader from Caledonia County. “What came out of the Act 18 Clean Heat Standard process would be a pretty significant fee on the usage of carbon fuels.”
A recent study funded by the Public Utilities Commission found that the Clean Heat Standard could raise fuel prices as much as $4 a gallon on heating fuel.
“The question is ‘what now?’ and that’s really getting into the predictions,” said Beck by phone.
The legislature and the majority as a whole have reached a pivotal point where they will have to decide whether or not they want to attempt to implement the CHS and its associated fees or if they instead want to incentive an energy transition using only tax incentives and/or a different fee structure than proposed in Act 18, Beck explained:
“The interesting development is they’re at a decision point. Here is a fork in the road, on one path the use of ‘carrots,’ research and development, and then the other path is the carrots and sticks approach.” Carrots and sticks meaning taxes and fees, he later explained to me. “When the legislature was very different, they chose the taxes and fees approach and that was proven to be very unpopular by this last election. They will have to make a decision. Either keep trying the same direction, or go another route”
Yesterday, Governor Scott’s Press Secretary Amanda Wheeler told VDC “The Governor has been clear since the policy was first discussed that he does not support the CHS. We know that 70% of Vermonters rely on fossil fuels to heat their homes, so to change this, we need to help people through the transition, not punish them”
Senator Beck appeared to be aligned with Governor Scott’s office, “Vermonters spoke in this last election, and they don’t think it’s appropriate to tax someone because of the fuel they use to heat their homes. They do however think it is appropriate to incentivize them. If I am optimistic, I hope the majority party goes that route. The problem for some senators is some districts, might believe a fee structure is necessary; they are still of the opinion that if you tax people the right amount of money they’ll shift”
It does seem however, members of the Senate Majority are willing to take the “carrot only” route. Anne Watson told VTDigger. “Staying focused on affordability, I think, is key. If we can figure out a policy that helps make energy more affordable for Vermonters and oh, by the way, it’ll also help the climate — amazing.”
When asked about potential changes to the Clean Heat Standard, Anne Watson told me today on short notice that she “Not sure yet – waiting to see what the report says,” referring to a report on the CHS to be released January 15.
Vermont House Republicans have already come out front and said they are going to introduce a bill to repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act, a law passed in 2017 that tied Vermont to specific climate goals outlined by the Paris Agreement and the Climate Alliance. The law mandates that Vermont cut greenhouse gas emissions by specific targets in 2025, 2030, and 2050. It also includes a provision that allows the state to face lawsuits if officials fail to create plans to meet these deadlines.
Changes to the Clean Heat Standard must come first through the Senate before it gets to the House. VDC will be following this closely and providing updates.
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Legislation
Re: “Senator Beck appeared to be aligned with Governor Scott’s office. “Vermonters spoke in this last election, and they don’t think it’s appropriate to tax someone because of the fuel they use to heat their homes. They do however think it is appropriate to incentivi[z]e them.”
This is the kind of nonsensical word salad our politicians cite to explain away their complete misunderstanding of the issue.
First: They don’t explain the difference between a tax and an incentive?
Second: They don’t explain how limiting CO2 emissions will benefit anyone or anything in the first place.
Thank goodness “Vermont House Republicans have already come out front and said they are going to introduce a bill to repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act…”. Perhaps the introduction of this repeal bill will instigate the discussion that’s been missing to date.
“The problem is some districts, for example Windham County, believe this policy is necessary. They are still of the opinion that if you tax people the right amount of money they’ll shift.”
I live in Windham County. The only thing you are shifting me to, is being really pissing me off. Windham Reps need a reality check.
Backing away from it? Perhaps they ought to be running away from it, at a full gallop. It’ll cost oodles more (something they would’ve known if they’d (tee hee) studied it.
Other the other hand, it’ll involve slave labor, for the deposits mining. Perhaps child slave labor at that. Not that it would bother the state much to use slave labor. They used it on their properties after the Irene flooding. At least it’s inexpensive, liability free labor, I suppose.
Throw the CHS in the circular file ! Where the hey did our legislators come up with the idea that they had the power to tell us what to heat our houses with anyway ? Any of them that still believe that they have this power should be voted out in 2026 !
Excuse me, I have to put some more wood in my wood stove. When I need a little backup the propane Buddy heater works just fine. I have no incentive to change or have some moron tell me I have to.
Associated Press reports a federal lawsuit filed Monday by US Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute. Appears the lawfare warfare is primed to start a drain on the State coffers. Now taxpayers can shell out for their incompetence and doubling down on their conspiracies to commit fraud and rogue legislating. Do we, the People, have legal remedy to recoup our losses for them misrepresenting and ignoring the will of the People?
Their aim is to control the populace via energy control. They will not give it up, only standdown when it’s appropriate to reach their final objective.
This is no different than Cuba, but a bit less obvious. I Cuba they turn on and off the water and electricity “due to leaks and problems with the electrical systems” ……like nobody could fix it? It’s a lie.
No, they do it, because it’s pretty easy to control a population when you can dictate when they can do laundry, watch a tv program and charge their phone.
This is no different, just more sophisticated.
It has nothing to do with cleaning up the environment. If conservatives started doing things that DID improve the environment, we’d win many hearts and minds, and we wouldn’t have to give up on any of our principles.
Here’s a simple one, which Montpelier will fight tooth and nail, because it goes against freedom and enslavement.
No tax on any farm, land or income that transitions to organic.
No tax on any organic farm (real estate, thereafter).
Food sovereignty, everyone has the right to buy and sell food, plant or animal.
They will fight this to the death, it would expose their lies and hearts. It would be yet another easy victory for conservative minded people in office. We have to stop playing their games, with their rules that are set up to ruin our state.
Let’s put this in perspective, so everyone can understand. First, lobbyists and special interests polluted the legislature, to ensure the passing of a totally unrealistic law. Second, those same people who lobbied for this law – made sure there was a caveat allowing them to sue Vermonters – if Vermont failed to achieve the unrealistic goals in the unrealistic law. Then they kept their word and sued Vermont. The icing on this “screw Vermont” cake is that now Vermont is being sued for passing the unrealistic (and more than likely unconstitutional) law in the first place. Strap in, we won’t be fixing anything in Vermont anytime soon.
Guy….here’s a great question for the Governor….this should be a headline news article, how is this in line with Vermont constitution….its insane.
And while you have the mic, ask him if he’s going to lock down again, I see corporate at the Berlin walmart has changed the parking lot in anticipation of ANOTHER LOCK DOWN! Is he going to bunk with Fauci?
And while you have the mic, ask him about the “sanctuary” status of Vermont.
You know popularity contests are not always a good judge of character, more so when you are the most popular with a marxist cabal known as Montpelier.
IF Vermont allowed billboards, I’d have this in every town……sadly many will think it’s justified to “save the world”, which goes to show the power of controlling the narrative, the press, the schools, the politicians, the lobbyists…..lies, lies lies……just like they have been doing for 50+ years….
Every election period the “world is going to end”, conveniently 2 years after their office period.
Meanwhile, if the world was going to end there would be so many easy simple ways to reduce our fuel expenses….Nano was perhaps the most green car ever invented, $3000 and gets 50mpg…..couldn’t get in the United States…..we could wear heated clothing, they guys on construction sites do, Milwaukee heated vests.
It is ALL about controlling the population, really enslaving the population…..so you can own nothing and be happy…..their words not mine.
Meanwhile they travel in private jets, to go on their 300 foot yachts, to their private islands to enjoy sexual perversions away from the populace……
You can judge a tree by its fruit. Smells pretty bad no?
The people voted.i hope it gets repealed
See above daughtersof green mountain, it’s the lobbyists. And the “ten” people who run Montpelier that are running the show, they don’t give a rats @$$ about what the voters want. That is the power of Marxism, their pride knows no bounds, they are essentially Gods, at least on their own eyes, and they are running a theocracy, don’t comply and you are cancelled, matters not weather you are citizen or politician, ask the school principle.