MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Governor Phil Scott, as expected, vetoed on Thursday a major renewable energy bill requiring all utilities to source power from all renewable sources by 2035 and produce more energy in-state.
The Renewable Energy Standard would require the state’s larger utilities to source 100% of their power from hydro, wind, and solar by 2030. Smaller utilities would have until 2035. It would require the state of Vermont to ramp up in-state production of renewable energy.
The governor said the bill would have raised Vermonters’ utility rates by hundreds of millions of dollars. He says a proposal from the Department of Public Service is a much stronger plan at a fraction of the cost.
Supporters have said the measure is a critical component to meeting the state’s effort to deter climate change and that the veto undermines Vermont’s commitment to a sustainable future. “Our collective efforts in crafting H.289 epitomize the collaboration needed to combat climate change. We must remain steadfast in our resolve to accelerate renewable energy adoption, ensuring a resilient and cleaner future for generations to come. As Speaker of the House, I am committed to ensuring that the will of the people and the urgency of addressing climate change are not derailed, and we will be addressing this bill in our veto override session in June,” Vermont Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski said in a statement Friday.
It’s still an option question whether lawmakers have the votes to override. The bill passed the House with 99 votes and 18 votes in the Senate — both short of the two-thirds needed.