Vermont Gas tells House Energy panel H.600 would lock in appliance-efficiency standards to give consumers, contractors certainty

Vermont Gas representatives told the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee on a bill to codify federal appliance-efficiency standards that the measure would give consumers, contractors and program administrators clearer rules and help energy-efficiency programs plan incentives and outreach.

"H.600 effectively provides that by codifying the federal standards that were in place as of January of 2025," said Timothy Perrin, director of energy management at Vermont Gas Systems, during testimony. Perrin said codifying the standards would establish a baseline for what equipment efficiency is legally acceptable and protect against ‘‘backsliding’’ if federal rules were changed.

Dylan Jampole, director of public affairs for Vermont Gas, said the utility — a regulated thermal distribution company that serves natural gas customers in Franklin, Chittenden and Addison counties — has about 56,000 customers and already operates energy-efficiency programs that rely on stable equipment standards. "We want to make sure that we're installing the most efficient, cost-effective appliances that give consumers the best bang for their buck," Jampole said.

Perrin told the committee Vermont Gas has already modeled the federal standards in its demand resources plan for the 2027–2032 performance period, and that incorporating those standards at the state level would allow programs to transition, continue offering incentives and educate contractors and consumers.

Committee members asked how many other states have adopted similar backstops and whether manufacturers would revert to lower standards if federal rules were rolled back. Perrin said he could not predict manufacturers' business decisions but emphasized that a clear, state-level signal helps suppliers, contractors and program planners. "We can't speculate what a future federal administration may do, but by being able to codify the standards within state law, it gives a clear signal to everybody," he said.

Members raised practical enforcement concerns, including cross-border purchases and the definition of "in stock." Witnesses acknowledged those limitations, noting that while Vermont can set its standards for sales in-state, consumers could still purchase products out of state or online. Jampole said written testimony discussed the draft (1.1) the witnesses reviewed and reiterated the company's relative comfort with the proposal.

No formal votes or motions on H.600 were recorded during the session. The committee recessed to take a short break and planned to return for a scheduled discussion on S.213 at 10:05 a.m.

The committee hearing record includes written testimony the witnesses said they submitted; witnesses suggested the bill's value lies in providing predictability to utilities, contractors and consumers while allowing energy-efficiency programs to continue offering incentives to encourage higher-performance equipment.