H 740

 BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE  H.740
 2026  Page 1 of 5
1H.740
2 Introduced by Representative James of Manchester
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Conservation and development; air pollution; greenhouse gases;
6greenhouse gas inventory and registry
7 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to give the
8 Agency of Natural Resources additional authority to collect data for the
9 greenhouse gas inventory and registry.
10    An act relating to the greenhouse gas inventory and registry
11 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
12 Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 582 is amended to read:
13 § 582. GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORIES; REGISTRY
14***
15    (e) Rules.
16(1) The Secretary may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this
17 section and shall review existing and proposed international, federal, and State
18 greenhouse gas emission reporting programs and make reasonable efforts to
19 promote consistency among the programs established pursuant to this section
 BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE  H.740
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1 and other programs, and to streamline reporting requirements on greenhouse
2 gas emission sources. Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section,
3 nothing in this section shall limit a State agency from adopting any rule within
4 its authority.
5(2) The Secretary shall adopt rules that create a comprehensive
6 greenhouse gas emission reporting program that covers all sources of
7 emissions, including fuel suppliers. Suppliers of transportation and heating
8 fuels covered by the rules shall comply with requests from the Secretary for
9 information. The information collected shall at a minimum include the types
10 and volume of fuels sold, by sector for the transportation, residential,
11 commercial, and industrial sectors, by county.
12***
13 Sec. 2. RULEMAKING
14    On or before March 1, 2027, the Secretary of Natural Resources shall
15 submit to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules proposed final
16 rules for greenhouse gas reporting as required under 10 V.S.A. § 582(e)(2).
17 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION
18    In fiscal year 2027, the sum of $800,000.00 is appropriated from the
19 General Fund to the Secretary of Natural Resources to be used to draft the
20 greenhouse gas emission reporting rules, to develop a greenhouse gas emission
21 source database, and to fund staff time on emission source data collection.
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1 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
2    This act shall take effect on passage.
Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 582 is amended to read:
§ 582. GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORIES; REGISTRY
                                      ***
   (e) Rules.
      (1) The Secretary may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this
section and shall review existing and proposed international, federal, and State
greenhouse gas emission reporting programs and make reasonable efforts to
promote consistency among the programs established pursuant to this section
and other programs, and to streamline reporting requirements on greenhouse
gas emission sources. Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section,
nothing in this section shall limit a State agency from adopting any rule within
its authority.
      (2)        The Secretary has authority to adopt rules that create a
comprehensive greenhouse gas emission reporting program that covers all
sources of emissions, including fuel suppliers. Suppliers of transportation and
heating fuels covered by the rules shall comply with requests from the
Secretary for information. The Secretary shall adopt a rule that at a minimum
includes the types and volume of fossil fuels sold by sector for the
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transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial sectors and by zip code,
municipality, or the smallest geographic level practicable.
                                 ***
Sec. 2. RULEMAKING
   On or before July 1, 2027, the Secretary of Natural Resources shall adopt
final rules for greenhouse gas reporting as required under 10 V.S.A.
§ 582(e)(2).
Sec. 2. RULEMAKING
   Contingent upon an appropriation of funds in fiscal year 2027, for this
purpose, on or before July 1, 2027, the Secretary of Natural Resources shall
adopt final rules for greenhouse gas reporting as required under 10 V.S.A.
§ 582(e)(2). The duty to create a database for the reporting of data is also
contingent upon an appropriation of funds.
Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION AND POSITIONS
   (a) Funding. In addition to other funds appropriated to the Agency of
Natural Resources, the sum of $500,000.00 shall be appropriated from the
General Fund as a base appropriation, which will be used to draft the
greenhouse gas emission reporting rules, to develop a greenhouse gas emission
source database, and to support staff and on-going efforts required to
implement emission source data collection.
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  (b) Positions. In fiscal year 2027, the establishment of two new permanent
classified Environmental Analyst V positions in the Agency of Natural
Resources is authorized.
Sec. 4 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
  This act shall take effect on passage.