The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 30 : Public Service

Chapter 094 : Clean Heat Standard

• § 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.)