As I write this article the legislature is working to finish the 2010 session by May 7th or 8th. Many bills are being reported and discussed and conference committees meeting. After the session I will post a wrap-up of all the major legislation on my web site.

     The committee on Natural Resources and Energy has worked on many important items this year besides the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant. One bill requires uncertified outdoor wood boilers (OWB) that have had valid complaints regarding smoke emissions be retired and replaced with cleaner burning ones. I think this is a win for owners of these old boilers, a win for the neighbors who breathe unhealthy air, a win for public health and a win for the environment. Uncertified OWBs are inefficient that burn twice as much wood as the newly certified Phase II OWBs to meet same heating requirement.

     This is an important first step to reducing air pollution from outdoor wood boilers by requiring manufacturers to meet emission standards. These standards have forced the manufacturers to design more efficient and cleaner burning boilers. However, an estimated 4,000 uncertified OWBs were sold prior to emission standards and are still in use. Many of these uncertified OWBs are impacting the health of our neighbors. Governor Douglas recently announced that the Agency of Natural Resources will use $360,000 from a settlement fund with the American Electric Power Company to replace 75 old residential units with cleaner-burning certified units. This bill will increase the funding to $500,000, and include the option to replace an old unit with a more efficient and cleaner heating appliance than a certified OWB. It also requires all uncertified OWBs located within 200 feet of a residence, a school or a health facility to be retired by 2013.

     Natural Resources and Energy also took up bill S.224 that passed the senate, which creates a stewardship program for unused paint. Currently Vermont’s regional solid waste programs have collects some 155,000 gallons of unused paint annually at a cost of more that $4.00 a gallon. The stewardship program will collect unused paint and find a reuse for it or dispose it at no more than 75 cents a gallon.

     This bill recognizes that there is currently no clear, environmentally responsible way for homeowners and contractors to dispose of their leftover paint. In addition, individuals and solid waste districts have been bearing the cost of paint disposal when it is done properly. S.224 has paint manufacturers set up the stewardship program under the supervision of the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR). With an emphasis on reuse and recycling the program requires paint producers to fund a collection system that is free and convenient to Vermonters in all parts of the state. The plan must include an educational component so that residents know how and where to dispose of leftover paint. The producers will most likely add a small assessment to the cost of each can of paint. The amount will be monitored by ANR to make sure that it is tailored to only cover the cost of the program.

     In my last article I wrote about “rainy day” and reserve funds. I included a chart with the balances in the different Vermont funds. This topic has gotten a lot of press lately. Two examples are Governor Douglas speaking about these funds on Vermont Public TV “Call The Governor” show last week and James Dwinell’s article in Vermont Business Magazine. Mr. Dwinell gives more details about these funds including comments from Vermont’s State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding. A copy of my article, a link to VTP Video on Demand and Mr. Dwinell’s article are on my web site, RepBillFrank.com.

As always I like to hear from you, either by email: Bill@RepBillFrank.com, phone: 899-3136 or mail: 19 Poker Hill Rd, Underhill, 05489.