Environment (Environmental Justice)

This bill creates a special "Vermont Green FC" license plate option for eligible vehicles, including pleasure cars, light trucks under 26,001 pounds, and state agency vehicles. Vehicle owners who choose this plate pay a $45 initial fee and $45 annual renewal fee, with 77% of the initial fee and 84% of renewal fees deposited into a new Vermont Green FC Special Fund. The fund, managed by a board including representatives from the Climate Action Office and outdoor business groups, provides grants to support environmental justice initiatives and Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy. All fees collected directly fund these specific public purposes, with no administrative costs deducted from the grants.

H 328 would require regional planning commissions to comply with Vermont's environmental justice State policy. Currently, the policy applies to certain state agencies, but this bill adds regional planning commissions as mandated entities. These commissions coordinate regional planning for issues like land use, transportation, and economic development across multiple towns. The bill directly affects how these commissions conduct their planning work to ensure environmental justice considerations are integrated into their decisions.

H 289 changes Vermont's Renewable Energy Standard to a Clean Energy Standard (CES), requiring electricity providers to meet higher clean energy targets. It mandates an annual report tracking energy use, clean energy adoption, and economic impacts - including how costs and benefits are distributed across regions, municipalities, and environmental justice communities. The bill also includes funding for electric vehicle incentives and updates the Global Warming Solutions Act to align with climate goals. These provisions aim to accelerate the shift to clean energy while monitoring affordability and equity in the state's energy transition.