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PUC tells House panel raising fuel tax and more LIHEAP funds could expand weatherization; declines to recommend statewide discounted electricity rate
Summary
PUC staff told lawmakers their Act 142 review recommends increasing the per-gallon fuel tax to fund expanded weatherization, and considering general-fund support for LIHEAP; the commission stopped short of recommending a mandatory statewide discounted utility rate because of administrative burdens and uneven uptake.
PUC staff briefed the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure committee on their Act 142 study examining whether Vermont should create a statewide program to reduce household energy burden. Jake Marin, an attorney for the Public Utility Commission, said the commission’s review weighed two primary program types: direct bill assistance and investments that reduce demand through weatherization and efficiency.
"The overall arching question is whether the commission should recommend, the creation of a statewide program to reduce energy burden in Vermont," Marin said. Staff described a large stakeholder process (three workshops, interviews and public comments) and said energy burden in the study includes electric, heating and transportation costs, using AMI-style income definitions for…
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