Lawsuit Threatened to Ensure Vermont Reduces GHG Emissions

The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) recently announced their intention to file a lawsuit against the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources for failing to adhere to legal requirements to ensure the state stays on track to reach its emission reduction targets, as set forth in the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). Under the GWSA, Vermont has specific emission reduction thresholds that must be met by 2025, 2030, and 2050. In response to these greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets, legislators and regulators in the Green Mountain State have focused on fundamentally changing the thermal fuel marketplace, such as through the implementation of a clean heat standard, which has a direct impact on the propane industry.

Notably, Vermont is one of 16 states that have passed statutory requirements to reduce GHG emissions over a set time frame. If the CLF lawsuit is ultimately successful, it could inspire similar lawsuits in other states that have legal obligations to reduce emissions. Even the mere threat of legal action could pressure states into adopting more aggressive decarbonization and electrification plans, all of which would have ramifications for the propane industry and the various market sectors we serve.

As of the 2022 industry sales report, Vermont is the 36th largest propane market in the country, with 105 million gallons of fuel sold. For more information, contact NPGA’s Director of State Affairs, Jacob Peterson.