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Searching 2023-2024 Session

The Vermont Statutes Online

The Vermont Statutes Online have been updated to include the actions of the 2023 session of the General Assembly.

NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.

Title 9 : Commerce and Trade

Chapter 074 : Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances and Equipment

(Cite as: 9 V.S.A. § 2796)
  • § 2796. Implementation

    (a) No new medium voltage dry-type distribution transformer, State-regulated incandescent reflector lamp, or single-voltage external AC to DC power supply manufactured on or after January 1, 2008 may be sold or offered for sale in the State unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set forth in the rules adopted pursuant to section 2795 of this title.

    (b) On or after January 1, 2009, no new metal halide lamp fixture may be sold or offered for sale in the State unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set forth in the rules adopted pursuant to section 2795 of this title.

    (c) No later than six months after the date of enactment of this chapter, the Commissioner, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall determine if implementation of State standards for residential furnaces and residential boilers requires a waiver from federal preemption. If the Commissioner determines that a waiver from federal preemption is not needed, those State standards shall go into effect on June 1, 2008, or if this determination is made after June 1, 2007, those standards shall go into effect one year after the date of this determination. If the Commissioner determines that a waiver from federal preemption is required, the Commissioner shall apply for that waiver within one year of that determination and upon approval of that waiver application, the applicable standards shall go into effect at the earliest date permitted by federal law.

    (d)(1) On or after July 1, 2019, no new luminaire that is designed and marketed to operate with T12 fluorescent lamps may be sold or offered for sale in the State. This prohibition shall not apply to a luminaire that the seller purchased on or before June 30, 2019.

    (2) On or after July 1, 2020, no new air compressor, commercial dishwasher, commercial fryer, commercial hot-food holding cabinet, commercial steam cooker, computer or computer monitor, high CRI fluorescent lamp, portable electric spa, residential ventilating fan, spray sprinkler body, uninterruptible power supply, or water cooler may be sold or offered for sale, lease, or rent in the State unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set forth in the rules adopted pursuant to section 2795 of this title.

    (3) On or after July 1, 2021, no new faucet, showerhead, or urinal may be sold or offered for sale, lease, or rent in the State unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set forth in the rules adopted pursuant to section 2795 of this title.

    (4) This subdivision governs the date after which no new portable air conditioner may be sold or offered for sale, lease, or rent in the State unless the efficiency of the new product meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set forth in the rules adopted pursuant to section 2795 of this title (the compliance date).

    (B) If, prior to January 1, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a final rule in the Federal Register establishing efficiency standards for portable air conditioners and the rule has not been repealed, voided, or retracted, the compliance date shall be on or after the date as of which portable air conditioners are required to comply with the DOE rule.

    (5) The prohibitions set forth in subdivisions (2) through (4) of this subsection shall not apply to a product that the seller or lessor purchased:

    (A) in the case of a product listed in subdivision (2) of this subsection, on or before June 30, 2020;

    (B) in the case of a faucet, showerhead, or urinal, on or before June 30, 2021; and

    (C) in the case of a portable air conditioner, before the first date on which compliance is required under subdivision (4) of this subsection.

    (A) The compliance date shall be on or after February 1, 2022, unless subdivision (B) of this subdivision (4) applies.

    (e) Owners and operators of commercial and industrial facilities shall be allowed to utilize appliances and equipment that do not meet the requirements of section 2795 of this title for the repair or replacement of existing equipment, provided that the equipment being repaired or replaced was acquired before the implementation date determined according to the provisions of this section. At the discretion of the owners and operators, these appliances and equipment may be used at any time before or after the effective date of those requirements.

    (f)(1) When federal preemption under 42 U.S.C. § 6297 applies to a standard adopted pursuant to this chapter for a product, the standard shall become enforceable on the occurrence of the earliest of the following:

    (A) The federal energy or water conservation standard for the product under 42 U.S.C. chapter 77 is withdrawn, repealed, or otherwise voided. However, this subdivision (A) shall not apply to any federal energy or water conservation standard set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction upon the petition of a person who will be adversely affected, as provided in 42 U.S.C. § 6306(b).

    (B) A waiver of federal preemption is issued pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 6297.

    (2) The federal standard for general service lamps shall be considered to be withdrawn, repealed, or otherwise voided within the meaning of this subsection if it does not come into effect on January 20, 2020 pursuant to the actions published at 82 Fed. Reg. 7276 and 7333 (January 19, 2017).

    (3) When a standard adopted pursuant to this chapter becomes enforceable under this subsection, a person shall not sell or offer for sale in the State a new product subject to the standard unless the efficiency or water conservation of the new product meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in the standard. (Added 2005, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2017, No. 42, § 5, eff. May 22, 2017; 2017, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 5.)