Grassroots Government Advocacy Committee
Act 250 Commission Reassessment
Six legislators charged with re-evaluating Act 250, the state’s land use law, met for the first time on Wednesday 9/20/17. Legislators will review the goals of the state’s land use law and evaluate the impact of limits on development.
The commission is required to write a report and the document must include a statistical analysis of land-use permit processing in the state and must evaluate how Act 250 has worked over the past 47 years. The report must also include recommended improvements to the law, such as updates to reflect current understanding of climate change.
The commission is scheduled to reconvene Oct. 25, and again Nov. 15. Additional meetings have currently not yet been scheduled.
Carbon Tax
On 9/21/17, the Governor’s Climate Action Commission held a public hearing at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester, VT. The implementation of a carbon tax was the No. 1 request at the public hearing of Gov. Phil Scott’s Climate Action Commission.
Members of the commission, including locals Tom Donahue from BROC Community Action and Bill Laberge from Grassroots Solar, came to Manchester for one of four public hearings across the state. The hearing brought out dozens of local activists, business owners, educators and ordinary citizens hoping to influence Vermont’s climate policy. Many citizens at the meeting expressed concern for the impact a carbon tax would have on Vermont’s poorest populations.
Alongside recommendations for a carbon tax, the commission also heard multiple requests for government support of electric cars and charging stations, subsidies for weatherization and solar — and subsequent requirements for new construction — methane regulations, improved educational efforts, and investments in public transportation options.
US Government Affairs Updates
(as reported by ASHRAE.org, partial listing)
- S. DOE Recognizes ASHRAE’s BCxP and BEAP Certifications
- S. DOE Requesting Comment on the Costs and Benefits of Net Energy Metering
- S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) International Energy Outlook Report
- GGAC Helps Coordinate Response at Energy Code Hearings in Kentucky and Indiana
Refer to the following link for additional information on the above topics:
Dick Wilcox
GGAC Chair