Vermont

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

2025: Relative to 2005 levels

2030 and 2050: Relative to 1990 levels

Vermont Climate Action Plan 2025

The 1990-2022 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory was published in July 2025.

Vermont Climate Action Office

Inter-Agency Advisory Board

Vermont Climate Council

“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.

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

Interagency Environmental Justice Committee

ANR – Office of Civil Rights and Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice Advisory Council

The Just Transition Subcommittee advises the Vermont Climate Council on policies that may impact low-income, rural, and marginalized communities.

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

Pursuant to Act 148 (H.868), the state is considering whether to expand regional cap-and-invest program to other sectors, potentially including transportation and heating.

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

The Department of Public Service is required by 30 V.S.A. § 202b to update the Comprehensive Energy Plan every six years

2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan

Vermont's Public Utilities Commission grants permits for all electricity generation facilities

Vermont received a C grade from Freeing the Grid.

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.

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

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

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.

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

The Vermont Public Utility Commission submitted draft rules for a Clean Heat Standard to the Vermont General Assembly in January 2025, which now require approval by the legislature to move forward.

In the report, the PUC noted that, while feasible, a clean heat standard may not be well-suited for Vermont because of its regulatory complexity, and offered possible alternatives to lawmakers, including a fuel tax on heating fuels to subsidize existing thermal efficiency programs.

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.

Vermont has enacted residential PACE-enabling legislation, and has active programs.

Municipalities in Vermont are authorized to build and operate thermal energy networks without the need for approval or regulation from the Public Utility Commission (PUC). Existing utilities, businesses, developers, co-ops, and non-profits are able operate their own TENs, subject to PUC authorization.

The PUC must publish a report on how to support the development and permitting of TENs by December 1, 2025.

Vermont Low Emission Vehicles Program

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.

The state has delayed enforcement of electric vehicle sales requirements until Model Year 2027.

The State of Vermont EV Incentive Program provides rebates for new plug-in EVs, however funding has been exhausted as of October 2024

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

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.

The state has delayed enforcement of electric truck sales requirements until Model Year 2027.

At least 75% of vehicles purchased or leased by the state annually are hybrid or plug-in EVs

The Charge Vermont program offers rebates to cover 90-100% of the costs of installing a Level 1 or Level 2 charger at workplaces or multi-unit residences, and 90%-100% of the cost of installing a Level 2 or DC Fast Charger at a public attraction.

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

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

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.

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.

The Farm Agronomic Practices Assistance Program utilizes state funding to help Vermont farms implement soil-based agronomic practices that, among other things, improve soil quality and health.