An energy cap-and-trade bill introduced in the Vermont
Senate could potentially add costs to all forms of non-renewable,
carbon-based energy in the state. Industry watchers say the bill looks
a lot like a carbon tax.
“The cap-and-trade bill … is essentially the
carbon tax by another name,” said Matt Cota, director of the Vermont Fuel
Dealers Association. “That’s going to draw the most fire coming up in the
next few weeks or so.”
Prospects for an explicit carbon tax bill were highly uncertain during the first weeks of the
session, but S.66,
the cap-and-trade bill introduced last week, may introduce similar
requirements.
