To the editor: Please have your journalists look at the legality of Vermont’s newly collecting data from gas and oil suppliers that serve Vermont per Act 18 [S.5, dubbed the Affordable Heat Act]. I refer you to the eye-opening VT Public Utilities Commission Q & A with fuel dealers on their data collection process.
Due to coverage of this story, including Rob Roper’s reportage [“Clean Heat Standard explodes on launch pad, Jan. 29], I’m sure that I, along with many other Vermonters, can see this Act, and its enactment, as potentially violating Vermonters’ Constitutional Rights under Invasion of Privacy as Intrusion and further potentially, Vermont’s rights on Data Collection and Vermont’s Consumer Protection Acts and Vermont Data Broker Laws. Is Vermont itself violating its own Constitution Chapter 1 Article 11 and is now further acting as a data broker, violating its own host of consumer protection and data laws?
I did not give consent that my private account information, held by my fuel company about my fuel consumption, be supplied to any other party ever. Nor to intrude inside my household and possessions without my consent and order.
Due to the reporting and video, it is clear the State of Vermont is collecting my data directly from fuel companies that I privately buy from. Under Act 18, Vermont now has obligated the private fuel suppliers for specifics on purchases and how I (or anyone of their customers) proportions and uses that fuel within their private households (via their appliances). Should the fuel company not comply and report, they can be punished by The State for non-compliance.
Be it known, I have not given my consent to share my private information nor have I waived my right under VT Constitution to have my premises papers and possessions searched .
Apparently, per the reporting, VT has no formula to apply our private information from fuel suppliers. VT State data collection sheets are being widely and freely shared, are not secure nor encrypted in this process.
Thank you for the work and consideration. – Libby Moyer, Vershire