To The Editor:
Gene Bifano's article in The Valley Reporter on May 4, 2023, about Bill S.5 is the most thorough explanation I have read to date. I have gone online several times to research this bill and all the information is pretty confusing. The Legislature wants more residents to buy electric vehicles. Many have already, but now the state is coming up short on gas tax revenue. What's the answer? Raise the gas tax?
So, now if we are "forced" to install heat pumps, can the Vermont electric grid handle it? Probably not. The Senate and the House passed Bill S.5 and Governor Scott vetoed it and his reasons made sense. I found this statement online about Bill S.5: "If the policy is enacted this session, it would launch a two-year review, public engagement, and program design process by the Public Utility Commission and Department of Public Service, after which a 2025 Legislature would have to again vote to pass legislation that would allow the program to be implemented in 2026 as planned." (Whew!)
I have an idea. I think everyone in our Legislature should have heat pumps installed at their homes before this coming winter (2023) and then next spring (2024) give us a report Pro or Con, but I guess we'd never know how many actually did it.
Have a nice summer.
Larry Corthell,
Waitsfield
