S 219

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1S.219
2 Introduced by Senators Hardy, Watson and White
3 Referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
4 Date: January 8, 2026
5 Subject: Public service; energy; energy efficiency
6 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to direct
7 Efficiency Vermont to study the creation of a community-based energy
8 navigator program statewide.
9    An act relating to an energy navigator program report
10 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
11 Sec. 1. ENERGY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM; REPORT
12    (a) In collaboration with existing community-based energy navigator
13 programs in Vermont, such as the Climate Economy Action Center of Addison
14 County, Efficiency Vermont shall design a Vermont community-based home
15 energy navigator and coaching program that will provide in-person and remote
16 energy coaching services to residential consumers in communities statewide.
17 Efficiency Vermont shall consult with the Vermont State Energy Office, the
18 Vermont Climate Action Office, Vermont’s community action agencies, the
19 Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network, Vermont’s electric utilities, and
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1 other states, including Connecticut and Massachusetts, that have experience
2 with community-based energy programs. For the purposes of this section,
3 “residential consumers” includes homeowners, landlords, and renters.
4    (b) The program shall:
5(1) provide guidance to residential consumers, particularly those with
6 low and moderate incomes, to better understand and navigate energy efficiency
7 and clean energy investment options to affordably meet their home energy
8 needs;
9(2) advise residential consumers on accessing available grants, rebates,
10 financing, and other assistance programs and incentives to meet their home
11 energy needs;
12(3) assist residential consumers in prioritizing identified energy-saving
13 opportunities, including through the integration of weatherization strategies to
14 reduce heating and cooling loads that could minimize the need for the
15 installation of new equipment and lower future electric demands on the grid;
16(4) help residential consumers connect to local contractors and review
17 and analyze contractor recommendations regarding cost, payment, and other
18 relevant factors;
19(5) advise residential consumers in person, as necessary, and over time,
20 recognizing that hands-on coaching help may be needed at a consumer’s home
21 and over several years;
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1      (6) provide ongoing State funding to support the operations of
2 community-based energy coaching programs; and
3      (7) use available grant funds and private partnerships to support
4 program implementation.
5      (c) On or before January 15, 2027, Efficiency Vermont shall submit a
6 report on the program design to the House Committee on Energy and Digital
7 Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
8 The report shall include a description of the design of the program, which
9 could include the creation of a pilot program or expansion and support of
10 existing community-based programs, a description of the technical assistance
11 and educational materials to be developed as part of the program, an estimate
12 of program costs, funding sources to provide ongoing support to community-
13 based energy coaching programs, a target number of residential consumers to
14 be served by the program, energy and emissions savings that will result from
15 the program, and a proposed timeline for the implementation of the program.
16 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS
17   (a) In fiscal year 2027, the sum of $15,000.00 is appropriated from the
18 General Fund to Efficiency Vermont for the energy navigator program report.
19   (b) In fiscal year 2027, the sum of $150,000.00 is appropriated from the
20 General Fund to the Climate Economy Action Center to collaborate with
21 Efficiency Vermont on the energy navigator program design; continue to
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1 develop its community-based energy navigator resources, programming, and
2 expertise; and support the expansion of its Energy Navigator Program to a
3 neighboring county.
4 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
5    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
Sec. 1. ENERGY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM; REPORT
    (a) The Department of Public Service shall contract with a third-party
consultant to design a Vermont community-based home energy navigator and
coaching program, in collaboration with the Climate Action Center of Addison
County and other existing community-based energy navigator programs in
Vermont, that will provide in-person and remote energy coaching services to
residential consumers in communities statewide. The Department’s consultant
shall build on findings from the Department’s comprehensive process and
performance evaluation of more than 100 publicly funded energy programs
focused on affordability, including electric and thermal efficiency,
weatherization for customers with low income, and beneficial electrification
initiatives to inform the design of a Vermont community-based home energy
navigator and coaching program. The Department’s consultant shall consult
with Efficiency Vermont, the Vermont State Energy Office, the Vermont Climate
Action Office, Vermont’s community action agencies, the Vermont Energy and
Climate Action Network, Vermont’s electric utilities, community-based home
energy navigator and coaching programs, and other states, including
Connecticut and Massachusetts, that have experience with community-based
energy programs. For the purposes of this section, “residential consumers”
includes homeowners, landlords, and renters.
   (b) The program shall:
       (1) provide guidance to residential consumers, particularly those with
low and moderate incomes, to better understand and navigate energy
efficiency and clean energy investment options to affordably meet their home
energy needs;
      (2) advise residential consumers on accessing available grants, rebates,
financing, and other assistance programs and incentives to meet their home
energy needs;
     (3) assist residential consumers in prioritizing identified energy-saving
opportunities, including through the integration of weatherization strategies to
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reduce heating and cooling loads that could minimize the need for the
installation of new equipment and lower future electric demands on the grid;
  (4) help residential consumers connect to local contractors and review
and analyze contractor recommendations regarding cost, payment, and other
relevant factors;
 (5) advise residential consumers in person, as necessary, and over time,
recognizing that hands-on coaching help may be needed at a consumer’s home
and over several years;
(6) provide ongoing State funding to support the operations of
community-based energy coaching programs; and
 (6) provide recommendations for how the program would provide
ongoing funding to support the operations of community-based energy
coaching programs; and
 (7) use available grant funds and private partnerships to support
program implementation.
  (7) recommend any grant funds and private partnerships that may be
available to support program implementation.
   (c) On or before March 1, 2027, the Department shall submit a report on
the program design to the House Committee on Energy and Digital
Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy.
The report shall include a description of the design of the program, which
could include the creation of a pilot program or expansion and support of
existing community-based programs, a description of the technical assistance
and educational materials to be developed as part of the program, an estimate
of program costs, funding sources to provide ongoing support to community-
based energy coaching programs, a target number of residential consumers to
be served by the program, energy and emissions savings that will result from
the program, and a proposed timeline for the implementation of the program.
Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS
   (a) In fiscal year 2027, the sum of $25,000.00 is appropriated from the
General Fund to the Department of Public Service to hire the third-party
consultant for the energy navigator report.
  (b) In fiscal year 2027, the sum of $10,000.00 is appropriated from the
General Fund to the Climate Economy Action Center to collaborate with the
Department of Public Service on the energy navigator program design.
Sec. 2. CONTIGENCY OF FUNDING
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The duty to hire a consultant as described in Sec. 1 of this act (energy
navigator program; report) is contingent upon an appropriation of funds in
fiscal year 2027 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Service
for that. The duty of the Department of Public Service to grant funding to the
Climate Economy Action Center is contingent upon an appropriation of funds
in fiscal year 2027 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Service
for that.
Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
  This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.