Northeast

Vermont

Greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont have increased from 1990-2021, turning the state from a net emissions sink to a net emitter. Still, Vermont has the largest share of in-state renewable electricity generation in the country — between 99 and 100% every year since 2015, mostly from hydroelectric and biomass energy.
GHG Reduction Targets
All targets relative to 1990 levels
2025
26%
2030
40%
2050
80%
Governor
Phil Scott (Republican)
House Party
Democratic Supermajority
Senate Party
Democratic Supermajority
Legislative session
1/3/24 - 5/9/24
US Climate Alliance Status
Member

28

Policies Enacted or In Progress
across 7 policy areas

34

Policy Opportunities
across 7 policy areas

Northeast

9 states
This map shows the occurrence of climate policies passed at the state-level. Higher numbers represent more climate policies enacted.

Progress by Policy Area

  • Enacted
  • In-progress
  • Partially Enacted
  • Not Enacted
Glossary of Terms
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partially-enacted
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not-enacted

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in Vermont

Created in partnership with
Filters
Status Policy Policy Area Policy Category YR Enacted
Enacted
Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2021
Enacted
Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2020
Enacted
Empty column

Vermont Climate Action Office

Inter-Agency Advisory Board

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance
Enacted
Empty column

26% by 2025 | 40% by 2030 | 80% by 2050

Relative to 1990 levels

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2020
Enacted
Empty column

The 1990-2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory was published in April 2023.

Climate Governance and Equity
Climate Governance 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Cumulative impact assessments determine the health and environmental impacts of renewing or granting a permit for certain pollution-generating facilities in environmental justice communities. Increased pollution burdens in communities may result in the permit application being denied.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
Enacted
Empty column

Environmental Justice Advisory Council

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Interagency Environmental Justice Committee

ANR – Office of Civil Rights and Environmental Justice

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Enacted
Empty column

“Environmental justice focus populations” are census block groups in which the annual median household income is less than 80% of the State median household income, at least 6% of the population are people of color or Indigenous people, or at least 1% of households have limited English proficiency.

Establishing Policies
Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Not Enacted
Empty column

Environmental justice (EJ) community investment requirements help ensure communities most impacted by environmental burdens are benefitting equitably from public programs by requiring a certain percentage of funds and/or benefits from other policies are allocated to EJ communities.

Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity
In-Progress
Empty column

The Agency of Natural Resources is required to develop an EJ mapping tool by January 2025.

Establishing Policies
Climate Governance and Equity
Environmental Justice and Equity 2022
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition advisory bodies write or advise on a state's just transition plan or report, and make recommendations on ways to support affected workers, communities, and industries. The bodies can consist of all non-government members, or be a mix of government and non-government members.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition funds support initiatives and investments aimed at facilitating the equitable transition of workers and communities affected by shifts in industries or policies that transition from fossil fuels.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition offices and staff assist workers and communities transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction and use, typically through retraining programs and support with relocation and economic diversification. Offices and staff also coordinate with other state agencies to effectively design policy to achieve a just transition.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Just transition plans are documents that outline policies and recommendations aimed at supporting communities, workers, and industries affected by the transition away from fossil fuels. The plans often focus on workforce development and retraining, job creation, and economic diversification.

Climate Governance and Equity
Just Transition
Not Enacted
Empty column

Green banks are public, quasi-public, or non-profit entities that use innovative financing to invest in climate solutions and attract private capital across various economic sectors.

Cross-Sector
Climate Finance
Enacted
Empty column

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) covers the electricity sector.

Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation 2005
Not Enacted
Empty column

The social cost of carbon is a monetary estimate of the damage of each ton of greenhouse gases emitted. The social cost of carbon is used to quantify and monetize climate damages, representing the net economic cost of climate pollution to society.

Cross-Sector
Carbon Valuation
Enacted
Empty column

63% renewable energy by 2025 | 100% by 2030 for utilities serving at least 75,000 customers | 100% by 2035 for utilities serving less than 75,000 customers

Establishing Policies
Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets 2024
Not Enacted
Empty column

Clean energy plans are documents that outline the policies and strategies states can implement to meet clean energy targets. Draft plans are often published first, and after a period of public comments and revisions, a final plan is released.

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electricity greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are set by a state to limit GHG emissions in the electricity sector. These targets aim to reduce emissions by different amounts over time, often expressed as percentage relative to a baseline year.

Electricity
Energy Plans and Targets
Not Enacted
Empty column

Community choice aggregation allows local governments to procure power on behalf of their residents, businesses, and municipal accounts from an alternative supplier while still receiving transmission and distribution service from their existing utility provider.

Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
5/5
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
9/11
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
enacted
5/6
Electricity
Clean Energy Generation
Not Enacted
Empty column

Energy storage targets establish procurement targets for energy storage systems by a certain date, often with interim targets. Targets can vary from broad megawatt (MW) requirements to more specific mandates that focus on the adoption of certain storage technologies.

Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage
Enacted
Empty column

Vermont received a C grade from Freeing the Grid.

Electricity
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage 2023
Not Enacted
Empty column

Coal phaseouts establish a target year by which states must end coal-fired power generation.

Electricity
Coal Retirement
Not Enacted
Empty column

Coal securitization is a financing tool that allows utility companies to refinance debt they issued to build coal plants and close the facilities early without taking a financial hit or passing costs on to ratepayers.

Electricity
Coal Retirement
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is the 2024 Commercial Building Energy Standards, with ASHRAE 90.1-2019 compliance options.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2024
Enacted
Empty column

The statewide energy code for residential construction is the Vermont 2024 Residential Building Energy Standards.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2023
Enacted
Empty column

The Vermont Residential Energy Building Standards (RBES) Stretch Code is a building energy code for residential buildings that achieves greater energy savings than the statewide RBES.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Codes 2024
Enacted
Empty column

The Energy Efficiency Standards for Appliances and Equipment apply to 23 products.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards 2018
Not Enacted
Empty column

Building performance standards establish energy and/or greenhouse gas performance targets for existing buildings in a state. These targets increase in stringency over time, leading to efficiency improvements in buildings to conserve energy and reduce emissions.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards
Enacted
Empty column

The Vermont Clean Heat Standard requires a declining carbon intensity of heating fuels imported into Vermont, as determined by the Public Utility Commission.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Standards 2023
Enacted
Empty column

Electric utilities are required to achieve energy savings equivalent to 204,000 megawatt hours (MWh) for 2024-2026.

Gas utilities are required to achieve energy savings equivalent to 381,300 million British thermal units (MMBtu) for 2024-2026.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2023
Enacted
Empty column

Vermont has enacted residential PACE-enabling legislation, but does not have an active program.

Establishing Policies
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency 2009
Partially Enacted
Empty column

The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled.

Policy Components
enacted
enacted
not-enacted
enacted
3/4
Buildings and Efficiency
Building Efficiency
Not Enacted
Empty column

All-electric buildings policies require new buildings to be constructed with all-electric heating, cooling, and cooking systems to transition away from fossil-fuel use in buildings.

Buildings and Efficiency
Building Electrification
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle rebates offer rebates to make light-duty electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles
Enacted
Empty column

Vermont Low Emission Vehicles Program

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles 2022
Enacted
Empty column

Model Year (MY) 2026: 35% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs | MY 2030: 68% of new sales are ZEVs | MY 2035: 100% of new sales are ZEVs, with up to 20% being hybrid or hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Transportation
Light-Duty Vehicles 2022
Enacted
Empty column

The Low NOx Omnibus Rule applies to Model Year 2026 onwards.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles 2022
Enacted
Empty column

By 2035: 55% of Class 2b-3 truck sales are zero-emissions | 75% of Class 4-8 straight truck sales are zero-emissions | 40% of Class 7-8 tractor sales are zero-emissions.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles 2022
Not Enacted
Empty column

Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric vehicle rebates consist of programs and policies that offer rebates to make MHD electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state.

Transportation
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric bus procurement targets require that a certain percentage or number of school buses and/or transit buses purchased or leased by the state, transit authorities, and/or school districts must be electric or zero-emissions.

Transportation
Lead by Example
Not Enacted
Empty column

Public fleet electric vehicle (EV) procurement targets require that a certain percentage or number of vehicles purchased or leased by the state are zero-emission or electric vehicles. This can apply to passenger cars, light-duty vehicles, and/or medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in a state’s public fleet.

Transportation
Lead by Example
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure rebates offer rebates to make the purchase and/or installation costs of EV charging infrastructure more affordable.

Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure requirements establish mandates for the installation of EV charging infrastructure in new construction or developments, such as residential or commercial buildings, and public parking lots.

Transportation
EV Charging Infrastructure
Not Enacted
Empty column

Electric vehicle (EV) and EV charging infrastructure plans are documents that provide a framework to guide the development, coordination, and adoption of EVs and EV charging infrastructure.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets
Not Enacted
Empty column

A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is a market-based mechanism to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels and account for the fuel's life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets
Not Enacted
Empty column

Transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are set by a state to limit emissions in the transportation sector. These targets aim to reduce emissions by specific amounts over time, often expressed as a percentage reduction from a baseline year.

Transportation
Transportation Plans and Targets
Partially Enacted
Empty column

Vermont is ranked 23rd out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists.

Policy Components
not-enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
enacted
4/5
Transportation
Public and Active Transportation
Not Enacted
Empty column

Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Industrial Decarbonization
Enacted
Empty column

This act establishes a schedule for when certain products must be manufactured without HFCs.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations 2022
Not Enacted
Empty column

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, bans, or other measures that reduce SF6 usage and emissions.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
F-gas Regulations
Enacted
Empty column

Hydraulic fracking for the exploration and production of natural gas is banned.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations 2012
Not Enacted
Empty column

Oil and gas methane regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, leak detection and repair, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from oil and gas production.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Oil and Gas Regulations
Enacted
Empty column

Food waste ban – The state has banned the disposal of food scraps and yard waste at landfills, established separate trash collection processes for organic waste, and requires all food scraps to be diverted to certified recycling facilities, including from both residential and commercial sources.

Establishing Policies
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management 2012
Not Enacted
Empty column

Landfill methane regulations include rulemakings, emissions monitoring, emissions control, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from decaying organic waste in landfills.

Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
Waste Management
Enacted
Empty column

Vermont established a Soil Conservation Practice and Payment for Ecosystem Services Working Group to recommend financial incentives for farmers to implement practices to improve soil health, enhance crop resilience, and reduce runoff.

The Environmental Stewardship Program is a voluntary program that encourages agricultural producers to meet high environmental standards including soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon sequestration.

Establishing Policies
Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture 2019
Not Enacted
Empty column

Agriculture technical assistance programs provide state-driven technical assistance, apprenticeship and mentorship programs, and support securing additional funding for farmers to increase uptake of soil health practices.

Natural and Working Lands
Agriculture

The State Climate Policy Dashboard tracks only passed policies and does not include bills currently proposed in legislative sessions. The website is intended to illustrate the current status of policies for each state, as well as key resources and model states for each policy.

Much of the information contained in this database is derived from the public domain, with links to resources provided. The information provided is made available solely for general information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Click here for full Terms of Use.

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