Green Mountain Times

The Vermont Senate Committee has passed a bill that will create a cap-and-trade system for heating fuels in the state, excluding transportation fuels. This legislation aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by requiring "obligated parties," those who import heating fuels into Vermont, to retire tradeable clean heat credits. These parties must either purchase or deliver eligible clean heat measures to meet the emission reduction obligations outlined in the Global Warming Solutions Act.

The act is seen as essential due to the previous passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act, which mandates that Vermont meet specific greenhouse gas reduction targets or face legal consequences. If these goals are not met, state agencies could be granted emergency rulemaking authority and might implement stringent measures to comply with statutory obligations.

Despite its intentions, some express concern over the program's broad scope. The inclusion of all fuels under "heating" and "thermal" definitions could increase costs for sectors like farming, construction, and manufacturing.

Questions about the financial impact of this initiative remain. As it progresses under its new name, the Affordable Heating Act (AHA), stakeholders are questioning whether high costs might halt its implementation. The Senate Committee on Appropriations recently reviewed the bill after it was approved by the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee on February 17.