Lege TREND. Permitting Natural Gas. Adding Groundwater Issues.

State : Vermont

The legislation: H214 (2019 | VT )

How does this bill allow natural gas permits to consider groundwater contamination?

• makes the environmental impacts of natural gas leaks a health and safety concern for Vermont
• uses a regional standard for groundwater impact with this drafting language: 
  • “impact of groundwater contamination caused by the extraction of the natural gas in the region where the extraction is conducted”

As an added bonus it also adds in these limits on financing pipelines:

• can’t be financed beyond the useful lifetime
• “shall not allow construction costs to be securitized on other utilities beyond the pipeline infrastructure”

NE Public Radio | House Committee Hears Testimony On Fossil Fuel Infrastructure Bills