[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6123028,"mediaKeyId","2692565-54c6ecc39a10a5851f00c48020f57f07","parentId",2692565,"title","S.50 raises expedited residential solar threshold to 25 kW; PUC and utilities retain review","audioSeconds",270,"startMs",1797000,"endMs",2067000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2692565-54c6ecc39a10a5851f00c48020f57f07&start=1797&end=2067","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2692565-54c6ecc39a10a5851f00c48020f57f07/thumbnail_1797000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6123028/Vermont/S50-raises-expedited-residential-solar-threshold-to-25-kW-PUC-and-utilities-retain-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123028-b4781eb4931cb831a30f50a9da7af292/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945682&Signature=K-NMmdXA8ZIOqhE29WkkOoNVBYPWgU46aBQKGs3DvBtgtEkNPFFEBipQGvwepmDJfgP7uT16omGyeS0gEEte5zBwp~74LTGiGL7hq9opS4R9lTC~rSFde8IStmWgG~UBBpZf~0wS-C37wHfw2iyEGEfd7WGby4~zXDE5-c6TXRNe411WPayZ89~wj50xR3vLpDef789BDTfWZUdQ8krDSOaLDrJhMwjr1gP7JbkWzcbkJ8t~2lsdeGGrRDl-kgUx1bXr6essqIPwL3VJ8k96kqvafvEngSXkpMsExRwwzKv1GhahVdoTb~roG8k6zhPTc1ofajKwxih8jhtJUq1NtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Vermont House Energy and Digital Infrastructure","date","2025-03-19T07:57:34Z","article","Senator Anne Watson told the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee on March 18 that S.50, which passed the Senate, would raise the expedited registration threshold for photovoltaic systems from 15 kilowatts to 25 kilowatts and add modest procedural protections.

Watson said the change recognizes technical improvements in panel energy density since 2014, allowing a slightly larger system to occupy roughly the same roof or yard area. “This is the kind of portable system that would probably fit in, like, a typical backyard,” she said.

Under the bill as described, qualifying systems would remain subject to distribution utility review and local zoning setbacks. Watson said the legislation also permits a one‑time reassignment of where renewable energy credits (RECs) are assigned so that an applicant who made an error in paperwork can correct it once; the change is intended to reduce the cost burden on small projects that face no other path to correct clerical errors.

Watson told committee members the bill was voted out of committee on a 5–0 vote and passed the Senate on a unanimous voice vote. She said the measure was not controversial and had a friendly floor amendment clarifying that 25 kilowatts specifically (not “up to 25 kW”) is included in the expedited pathway.

Committee members raised several questions. Representatives asked how the expedited process compares with the longer permitting pathway and whether projects of this size require a Certificate of Public Good; those questions were deferred to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and other officials. A village manager’s written comment raised concern that larger projects could require more staff time for review; Watson said distribution utilities would still have the opportunity to review site suitability and system protection issues on constrained lines.

Committee members also asked how changes interact with net metering, referencing a recent 2024 PUC biannual update that noted net metering had driven much of Vermont’s renewable capacity growth and raised questions about cost shifts to nonparticipants. Watson said S.50 targets small, home‑scale systems and is not intended to be a solution to the larger challenges around virtual off‑site net metering or affordable housing projects, which are handled at a different scale.

The committee received the introduction and took questions; the bill’s prior committee vote (5–0) and the Senate voice vote were noted in the record. No House committee vote on S.50 occurred during this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Energy and Digital Infrastructure 2025-03-18 3:00pm","oneSentenceSummary","Senator Anne Watson told the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee on March 18 that S.50 would raise the expedited registration threshold for residential photovoltaic systems from 15 kW to 25 kW, while preserving utility review and adding local setback and one‑time REC reassignment provisions.","taxTitle","Environment & Energy, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",30749,"location","Vermont","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6123032,"Public Knowledge backs H.11, urging Vermont net neutrality, fee and data‑cap rules",242,108000,350000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2692565-54c6ecc39a10a5851f00c48020f57f07&start=108&end=350","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2692565-54c6ecc39a10a5851f00c48020f57f07/thumbnail_108000.jpg","/articles/6123032/Vermont/Public-Knowledge-backs-H11-urging-Vermont-net-neutrality-fee-and-datacap-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123032-b1d4958965d6ba93136e31f3b8aab7cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945682&Signature=DxUtrCQLrb1YG7ncc7W2fLHN5CLE3po3VR2Dt4T-hqpjsx6BJphYFc86LMge7oDsWnQqj7yrqP~plbeFXoAVJsf8qVc5vPIP28~qLXeH2haSKR~O9amMXg7eRhRUf4GmR5GotYFAb24k3~ZLA2nTrDH6mVHKxSZGYqI2JYo8hHTQ6UGyAizp9o-fFbIoD6UqJCo3ugD8HrL9uk32Co8Sch5RcvFPe3P8pcCYOoXMyp6TMPeQDjfxKANAXzf66O4wPs6w-O8-YWOJx0BLbY3Lyh9TgNHcTXssaYDmJobD02rY6Z9UjJnqwldVAhguvGRU2MQDkOZLdwTwY4Oi3sB3Ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","John Bergmeier, legal director at the nonprofit Public Knowledge, told the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee on March 18 that H.11, the Vermont Broadband Consumer Protection and Competition Act, would require internet service providers to deliver the speeds and performance they advertise and would strengthen protections for consumers.

Bergmeier said Vermont consumers face “real risks from unfair practices by broadband providers” and that the bill addresses several areas where state law can protect customers now that federal authority is uncertain. “Providers must deliver the speeds and performance they advertise,” he said, and the bill would give the attorney general authority to define and enforce rules on fees and billing practices.

The bill would also limit or prohibit data caps that have no clear network‑management justification and would codify net neutrality principles at the state level. Bergmeier described the certification currently required for state contractors as useful but said the law should make substantive net neutrality obligations clearer for all ISPs that operate in Vermont. “It would be more straightforward to me to just have the provisions just be substantively stated more clearly to just apply to all broadband ISPs that operate in that state,” he told committee members.

Bergmeier recommended that, after passage, the attorney general adopt clear rules distinguishing justified fees (those reflecting actual costs) from unjustified “below‑the‑line” charges. He said that mandatory equipment charges or fees that consumers cannot avoid should be included in advertised price or justified by cost, and that optional fees should reflect actual costs or be comparable to third‑party options.

Committee members asked about the bill’s net neutrality provisions, how throttling or prioritization can affect consumer choice, and how states such as California and New York have litigated similar rules. Bergmeier described a shifting federal legal landscape — including prior FCC reclassification and recent appellate decisions — and said the uncertainty makes state action more important. He also urged consumer outreach so residents understand their rights and know how to file complaints.

Bergmeier flagged several ancillary issues in his testimony: the importance of broadband reliability during emergencies, suggestions for resilience measures (for example, backup power), and the need for affordability measures such as low‑cost service tiers or discounts for low‑income households. He said strong consumer protections are of limited value if people cannot afford service.

No committee action or vote on H.11 occurred during the March 18 hearing; the record shows the session was used for ongoing testimony and questions.

What the testimony covered: the need to require advertised speeds; restrictions or elimination of unjustified data caps; clearer, statewide net neutrality obligations beyond contract‑certification for state vendors; AG rulemaking on billing/fees; emergency reliability and resilience; and affordability measures.","John Bergmeier of Public Knowledge testified March 18 to the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee in support of H.11, saying the bill would require providers to deliver advertised speeds, limit or prohibit unjustified data caps, strengthen net neutrality protections and improve pricing transparency.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

S.50 raises expedited residential solar threshold to 25 kW; PUC and utilities retain review

Public Knowledge backs H.11, urging Vermont net neutrality, fee and data‑cap rules