PRESS RELEASE: Public Forums on a Cost and Benefit Analysis of Policies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Vermont.

The Joint Fiscal Office (JFO) has finalized a contract for independent professional assistance to complete a study of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont, per Act 11 of 2018.

That contract is with Resources for the Future (RFF), an independent, nonprofit research institution whose mission is to improve environmental, energy, and natural resource decision making through impartial economic research and policy engagement. RFF has decades of experience delivering solutions to cost-effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance a reliable and clean energy system.

Two public forums are scheduled to gain an understanding of Vermonters’ interests and concerns regarding policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont. RFF will use the information from these public forums to help inform their study. The general public is invited to participate in these two public forums. The Forums are scheduled from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. and details are as follows:

Wednesday September 26, Room 11,Vermont State House, 115 State Street, Montpelier, VT.

Thursday, September 27, Theater room, Billings Farm, 69 Old River Road, Woodstock, VT.

Please RSVP here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XF98YTJ

RFF will examine 4 decarbonization policy approaches and will provide qualitative analysis for other options to reduce carbon.  Currently, the plan is to investigate the following policy scenarios:

1   Carbon fee-and-rebate, as in H.791 or S.284 (2018) – The ESSEX Plan;

2   Expanding cap-and-trade if Vermont joined the Western Climate Initiative (WCI);

3   Expanding cap-and-trade if the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) covered transportation fuels as considered in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI); and

4   A carbon pricing policy based on further research and input from stakeholders.

People attending the forum are asked to address the following questions:

A What do you think are two or three things that a study of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont ought to take into consideration, in order to be helpful in answering your questions and in advancing the climate and energy policy dialogue in Vermont?

B  Starting by considering the policy approaches listed above, which approaches do you think RFF ought to focus on?

RFF will be represented by Marc Hafstead and Wesley Look. They will attend both public forums and will be available to answer questions about the study, as appropriate, during the times outlined above.

For those unable to attend, please feel free to email comments by September 28, 2018 to CarbonComments@leg.state.vt.us.