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House Energy committee divided over whether to include “electric” and “emissions reduction” in joint carbon committee charge
Summary
Members of the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure committee on May 12 split in a straw poll over whether the joint carbon emissions reduction committee’s title and duties should explicitly include the words “electric” and “emissions reduction,” with the chair declining to call a formal vote and directing members to draft a letter to the Speaker instead.
The House Energy and Digital Infrastructure committee debated on May 12 whether to keep the words “electric” and “emissions reduction” in the title and duties of a proposed joint carbon emissions reduction committee.
Representative Kathleen James, chair, said she would take a straw poll after reopening the discussion. Members who argued to remove the words said emissions reduction and electricity are already addressed in existing laws and that including them could distract the new committee from a primary focus on energy generation and siting.
A representative who opposed removing the language said the committee should look at emissions across thermal and transportation sectors as well as electricity and voiced concern that activist groups that oppose biomass could try to steer the committee’s recommendations. The representative said they “simply cannot support” allowing that influence to narrow the committee’s work.
After a brief count, the chair announced five members indicated “yes” to the bill as presented and four members signaled “no.” Rather than call a formal floor vote, the chair said the issue was too polarized to bring to the floor on that margin and recommended drafting a letter to the Speaker asking that the committee be used as a forum over the summer and fall. “We can still send a letter,” the chair said, and the committee can provide guidance without statutory changes.
Members also discussed the committee’s likely workload and funding limits: the chair and others noted there is funding for about five meetings and that energy siting issues — including siting for wind, solar, nuclear and hydro — are likely to occupy much of the committee’s agenda before it would reach electricity-related emissions topics.
The chair concluded the session by asking members to prepare suggested tasks for the committee and to review the draft before any further action. No formal motion or vote was taken during the meeting.
The committee also flagged related business including a planned walkthrough on a data center bill and a scheduled vote tomorrow on a committee bill about Burlington Electric and town energy plans (bill 26078).
