Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                          S.249
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                                          S.249
 Introduced by Senators Perchlik, Harrison and Watson
 Referred to Committee on
 Date:
 Subject: Agency of Transportation; buildings; energy; heating systems; non-
            fossil fuel heating systems
 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require that
 only a non-fossil fuel heating system be installed as the primary heating source
 in a newly constructed Agency of Transportation building and that when a
 fossil fuel heating system in an Agency of Transportation building is replaced
 that it is replaced with a non-fossil fuel heating system.
    An act relating to heating systems in Agency of Transportation buildings
 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
 Sec. 1. FINDINGS
   The General Assembly finds that:
         (1) The State has options to use non-fossil fuel space heating for
 buildings that are owned or controlled by the State that provide an equivalent
 or better heating and cooling source.
         (2) In the State of Vermont, there are non-fossil fuel space heating
 options that use local fuel, including wood fuels and renewable electricity.
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     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                            S.249
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       (3) With 80 percent of funds spent on wood heating coming from the
 local Vermont economy as compared to only 20 percent when heating oil is
 used, the use of advanced wood heating systems supports the State’s economy
 at large and specifically the forest products industry.
       (4) Support for the State’s forest products industry is particularly needed
 due to the slump in the demand for low-grade wood in the Northeast.
       (5) The installation of wood heating systems will help to build an
 advanced wood heating industry sector in Vermont and the Northeast.
       (6) The installation of non-fossil fuel space heating systems will likely
 save the State money on heating costs as compared to fossil fuels.
       (7) The installation of non-fossil fuel space heating systems will help to
 meet the State’s renewable energy goals and greenhouse gas reduction
 requirements, as required by 10 V.S.A. § 578 and 30 V.S.A. § 202b.
 Sec. 2. 19 V.S.A. § 45 is added to read:
 § 45. HEATING SYSTEMS
    (a) Definitions. As used in this section:
       (1) “Fossil fuel space heating system” is any space heating system that
 is not a non-fossil fuel space heating system.
       (2) “Non-fossil fuel space heating system” means a space heating
 system that is not designed to utilize fossil fuels or that exclusively utilizes
 renewable liquid fuel.
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     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                           S.249
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    (b) Heating systems.
       (1) The Agency of Transportation shall only install non-fossil fuel space
 heating systems as the primary heating sources in a newly constructed building
 owned or controlled by the Agency.
       (2) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Agency of
 Transportation shall only install non-fossil fuel space heating systems as a
 replacement for the primary heating source in buildings owned or controlled by
 the Agency.
    (c) Exemption. The Secretary may provide a written exemption to the
 replacement required in subdivision (b)(2) of this section if the Secretary
 determines that it is financially impracticable to install a non-fossil fuel space
 heating system as a primary heating source.
    (d) Backup systems. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, after a
 non-fossil fuel space heating system is installed as a primary heating source,
 the Agency may continue to use fossil fuel space heating systems as back-up
 heating or as supplemental heating during peak heating periods in buildings
 owned or controlled by the Agency.
    (e) Report. On or before January 15 each year, the Secretary shall submit a
 report to the House and Senate Committees on Transportation with the basis of
 each exemption provided pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and any
 fossil fuel space heating systems installed, in the previous calendar year. The VT LEG #372605 v.2
    BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                         S.249
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 provisions of 2 V.S.A. § 20(d) (expiration of required reports) shall not apply
 to the report to be made under this subsection.
 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
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