The Vermont Senate on Tuesday voted to override Republican Governor Phil Scott’s veto of the Affordable Heat Act. Proponents are praising the vote while opponents characterize it as unfortunate for the state’s future.
Under the Affordable Heat Act, or S.5, the Public Utility Commission must create regulations to implement a Clean Heat Standard. The bill also establishes a checkback so that such a standard will not be implemented until the 2025 or subsequent legislature approves it.
Supporters say the measure will transition the state to cleaner and cheaper heating fuels. But opponents say most residents cannot afford the costs to change to non-fossil fuel heating systems.
The bill gained final passage in the Senate on April 27th. Republican Governor Phil Scott vetoed the bill last Thursday. On Tuesday the Democratic-led Senate voted 20 to 10 to override.
Bennington Democrat Dick Sears voted to override and said he believes the bill simply creates a feasibility study.
“Nothing can move forward until the Legislature and the Governor have supported it or determined that it would not work. The hundreds of people that I’ve heard from, particularly senior citizens, are truly worried and scared. It will be our jobs to help alleviate those fears.”
Chittenden North Democrat Irene Wrenner voted to sustain the veto and criticized the bill saying it will not reduce carbon pollution.
“S.5 is a plan that was authored by special interests to benefit foreign owned energy companies who supply Vermonters with fracked gas extracted with chemicals such as PFAS and electricity made from burning wood from Vermont’s forests. If this bill were truly about greenhouse gas reduction biomass, biofuels and fracked gas wouldn’t get a pass.”
Vermont Public Interest Research Group Climate and Energy Program Director Ben Edgerly Walsh called the Senate’s veto override an incredibly important vote that puts the state one step closer to implementing a process that addresses carbon pollution and affordability in the heating sector.
“The status quo is deeply unaffordable and unsustainable for Vermonters. You know we saw the price of oil spike $2 plus dollars a gallon in a 12-month period over the last year. That’s not something that we can let go unchallenged and ultimately we need a blueprint to move Vermonters away from these high priced volatile fossil fuels. That’s exactly the blueprint that the Affordable Heat Act would create. And ultimately it will be up to the legislature in 2025 to decide whether or not to put in place this program once it’s fully designed. We’re very optimistic that the House will follow the Senate’s lead and vote to override.”
Vermonters for a Clean Environment Executive Director Annette Smith calls the override vote unfortunate and rushed.
“It only would have taken one Senator to have sustained the Governor’s veto. Now, there is a veto session scheduled for the end of June and this override vote is being rushed through. This could have been done at the veto session. And it only took ten minutes for the whole thing. There was a remarkable display of a lack of democratic process and this should have been the subject of a robust debate.”
The House is expected to hold a veto override vote on Thursday or Friday.
