CAP released and Clean Heat Standard White Paper

 
Total Energy News December 2021
Your Update on Vermont and National Energy News
Greetings!
On December 1st, Vermont passed it’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP is the culmination of a year of dedicated work by the Vermont Climate Council, it’s subcommittees, and many professionals and volunteers who engaged in the process. The CAP is also built on more than a decade of work that informed its design. The CAP would not be what it is – and might not even exist – were it not for the dedication of so many members of this Network, for so many years. 

Indeed, the contributions of Network members were clear across both the Climate Action Plan and also the recent draft of Comprehensive Energy Plan (which is available for public comment until December 20). Beyond having EAN staff, Network members, and public partners engaged at all levels of both processes, the collaborative work of EAN Network Action Teams is especially evident. In particular, the specific recommendations for implementation of a Clean Heat Standard, strategies for achieving Weatherization at Scale, especially for low and moderate income Vermonters, and expansion of the Replace Your Ride program, all emerged from and were made possible by EAN Network Action Teams, made up of dozens of our members and public partners who have put in hundreds of hours working together to develop these concepts and programs. Thank you.
We have one more thing to ask of you before the end of the year. The EAN staff is starting to plan for our next Annual Progress Report for Vermont. If this report is a resource you use, please consider giving us feedback about which parts are most useful to you and how we can improve it, by responding to this very brief survey, ideally by January 5.

As this year comes to a close and we reflect on all of the progress we have made in 2021, we are so grateful for the members who make up this Network and who work every day to help create “a more just, thriving, and sustainable future for Vermonters.”

It is an incredible honor and privilege to work on behalf of the state we love alongside each of you. We hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to continuing our work together in 2022!

Sincerely,
Jared, Cara, and Mei
News from the World
Green incentives usually help the rich. Build Back Better could change that

In the current version of Build Back Better, tax credits would be refundable, making them more accessible for lower income households.

Grist
Biden wants to make federal government carbon neutral by 2050

The White House plans to spend billions to buy electric vehicles, upgrade federal buildings, and change how the government buys power.

Washington Post
Two crucial pillars of MA’s plan to cut carbon emissions have crumbled – now what?

Massachusetts faces challenges from the Transportation Climate Initiative and New England Clean Energy Connect both having been put on hold.

Boston Globe
Data Download – Updated VT Transportation Fuel Cost Comparison
A previous version of this graph appeared in EAN’s 2020/21 Annual Progress Report for Vermont on Emissions, Energy, Equity, and the Economy. In that report we noted that drivers of gasoline and diesel passenger cars are subject to wide price swings from month to month and year to year, while costs for electric vehicle charging have been lower and much more stable. The newly updated graph for 2021 shows this trend has continued. In early 2021 gasoline prices were just above $2/gallon–now they are well over $3/gallon. Meanwhile EV charging pricing has stayed much more level and affordable.
Network Action Team Profile – Clean Heat Standard
For over a year an EAN Network Action Team met to develop the details for how to design a Clean Heat Standard to best serve the state of Vermont. The Clean Heat Standard is a performance standard, applied to the providers of fossil heating fuels in Vermont, requiring them to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to Vermont customers. The recommendation that Vermont adopt a Clean Heat Standard has been included in both the Climate Action Plan and the draft Comprehensive Energy Plan. After many months of collaborative work to fully develop the concept, EAN is pleased to share the Clean Heat Standard White Paper co-authored by Richard Cowart and Chris Neme, now available on the EAN website.
Events and Opportunities
EAN Climate Workforce Network Action Team
The first coalition meeting of the new EAN Climate Workforce Network Action Team was December 6th – you can see the recording of that meeting here. Please consider joining us as we continue our work on building Vermont’s Climate Workforce.
Second Mondays of each month, noon-1:30pm, starting January 10
Weatherization at Scale Network Action Team
The Weatherization at Scale Network Action Team has been working for over a year to significantly scale up Weatherization, especially for low and moderate income Vermonters. The need for this work has been getting a lot of attention recently, such as this news posted today. You are welcome to attend the monthly coalition meetings if you would like to learn more about the progress of the full coalition workgroups, and consider getting involved.
Second Mondays of each month, 2-3pm
VT Clean Transportation Equity Action Team
The VT Clean Transportation Equity Network Action Team started as a team focused on planning to work on the potential benefits of the Transportation and Climate Initiative program (TCI-P) revenue for Vermont but has broadened its plan in light of recent news about TCI-P. Although TCI-P is not moving forward at this time, the main goals of the Network Action Team remain highly relevant: to advance a collaborative process to identify the highest impact investment opportunities, in terms of cost-effective and equitable greenhouse gas reduction strategies and actions, for clean transportation revenue in Vermont. 
Friday, December 17, 2-3pm
Vermont Climate Council Meetings
All Vermont Climate Council meetings and subcommittee meetings are open to the public, with all details on the Climate Council website.
The Vermont Total Energy Ticker
VT just adopted a Climate Action Plan – Here’s how we should reduce emissions.

This VPR article gives a detailed view of many of the key provisions of the VT Climate Action Plan.

VPR
The Climate Council doesn’t want its plan to burden Vermonters. Did it deliver?

Seven Days provides a look at the Climate Action Plan and process through an equity lens.

Seven Days
Burlington voters approve electric department spending

Burlington voters approved a $20 million bond for BED to fund projects that allow the city to meet its carbon neutral by 2030 goal.

VTDigger
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