The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 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.
(Cite as: 30 V.S.A. § 8129)
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§ 8129. Clean Heat Standard Equity Advisory Group
(a) The Commission shall establish the Clean Heat Standard Equity Advisory Group to assist
the Commission in developing and implementing the Clean Heat Standard in a manner
that ensures an equitable share of clean heat measures are delivered to Vermonters
with low income and moderate income and that Vermonters with low income and moderate
income who are not early participants in clean heat measures are not negatively impacted
in their ability to afford heating fuel. Its duties shall include:
(1) providing feedback to the Commission on strategies for engaging Vermonters with low
income and moderate income in the public process for developing the Clean Heat Standard
program;
(2) supporting the Commission in assessing whether customers are equitably served by clean
heat measures and how to increase equity;
(3) identifying actions needed to provide customers with low income and moderate income
with better service and to mitigate the fuel price impacts calculated in section 8128 of this title;
(4) recommending any additional programs, incentives, or funding needed to support customers
with low income and moderate income and organizations that provide social services
to Vermonters in affording heating fuel and other heating expenses;
(5) providing feedback to the Commission on the impact of the Clean Heat Standard on the
experience of Vermonters with low income and moderate income; and
(6) providing information to the Commission on the challenges renters and residents of
manufactured homes face in equitably accessing clean heat measures and recommendations
to ensure that renters and residents of manufactured homes have equitable access to
clean heat measures.
(b) The Clean Heat Standard Equity Advisory Group shall consist of up to 10 members appointed
by the Commission and at a minimum shall include at least one representative from
each of the following groups: the Department of Public Service; the Department for
Children and Families’ Office of Economic Opportunity; a community action agency with
expertise in low-income weatherization; a community action agency with expertise in
serving residents of manufactured homes; Efficiency Vermont; the Vermont Association
of Area Agencies on Aging; individuals with socioeconomically, racially, and geographically
diverse backgrounds; renters; rental property owners; the Vermont Housing Finance
Agency; and a member of the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association. Members who are not
otherwise compensated by their employer shall be entitled to per diem compensation
and reimbursement for expenses under 32 V.S.A. § 1010.
(c) The Equity Advisory Group shall cease to exist when the initial Clean Heat Standard
rules are adopted. Thereafter, the issues described in subsection (a) of this section
shall be reviewed by the Commission, in compliance with 3 V.S.A. chapter 72. (Added 2023, No. 18, § 3, eff. May 12, 2023.)