Vermont Legislature SmartTranscripts:

[Kathleen James]: We're live. Alright. Welcome back, to House Energy and Digital Infrastructure. It is Friday, March 13, and we are here to triumphantly vote out our last bill for crossover deadline. My name is Kathleen James. I'm from Manchester.

[R. Scott Campbell]: Scott Campbell from Saint Johnsbury. Richard Bailey in 01/00 two. Chris Morrow, winning wins of anything. Michael Southworth, Caledonia. Christopher Howland, the online forum.

[Dara Torre]: Dara Torre, Washington too.

[R. Scott Campbell]: Randall, Washington

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: too. Laura Sibilia too. In the room?

[Dana Lee Perry]: Dana Lee Perry from the crossing group.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: I wish I wasn't here.

[R. Scott Campbell]: Greg Perry with the AUC.

[Kathleen James]: Great. All right. We had a great committee discussion about our data center bill, H727. We have, I believe, successfully resolved the concerns raised by the PUC about Duplicative Act two fifty language through a good conversation with the PUC and the Land Use Review Board. We have taken into account the recommendations of our colleagues on the House Environment Committee, and we have resolved some additional questions involving protecting water resources. Then we have to pick some other little things that

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: I don't

[Kathleen James]: remember. We are here to go over a clean copy of the bill and take a vote.

[R. Scott Campbell]: Okay. We got printed comments.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: I I sent you emailed it to Alex. I can print it. Can we want my printer? Please. If you're printing, I would like not to. Any anyone else? I don't need it to go proceed, though.

[Kathleen James]: I'll take one. But, yeah, not to proceed.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: And so this will be draft or it is draft 1.5 of h seven twenty seven. And there is still some highlighting in it, but all the language I think I've taken out all the stricken language. So it's just a matter of me taking out the highlighting and any bolds. So it's you can vote on it like that, and then I'll just take that stuff out. That's how you wanna proceed. So that being said, let's just make sure I capture all of your requested changes. So, no changes to the contractual provisions, but then when you get to the PUC findings, this is on page four, I think you just wanted to end the sentence that the commission shall find that it, meaning the contract, and just delete that other language. Actually I am going to delete it right now. And then the other deletions are the sections that I believe you can Sorry. Mhmm.

[R. Scott Campbell]: That no longer makes sense to me. I gotta fucking stop. Because we're saying board approves a contract, meaning a contract will not adversely affect efficiency, reliability, and resilience.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Right. Thank you. Yeah. Good good catch. Okay. That looks that looks good? No. No? No. What? What is that?

[R. Scott Campbell]: The contract.

[Dara Torre]: Oh, it should be good.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: You. So the contract will not adversely affect Right. The efficiency liability savings will result in an economic benefit.

[R. Scott Campbell]: The agreement itself will not adversely what does it Should we do it if? I mean, those three pieces of paper that you printed off are not gonna adversely affect the efficiency instead. No. But these terms of the contract.

[Kathleen James]: Correct.

[R. Scott Campbell]: Or fulfilling the contract or something. Maybe the terms of the contract. And then You don't wanna say data set because that's, you know, it's not worthy to look at it. Terms of the contract.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Terms of the contract is correct. Okay. Okay. Representative Howland, they okay. So then back to 50 striking what was Subdivision three, striking the outstanding resource waters provision, striking the air pollution provision, forest health and sustainability stricken, commercial building energy standards is stricken, and that's I think those were all of the ones that you identified as being deplorative.

[Dara Torre]: We might have to change is

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: to our completely terms of the contract. I am though. You're right. My god. Sorry. Let's just do that right now. Okay. Returns of the contract will not under no results. Okay. In terms of the contract, Service. Provide that the data center will be searched economically. I think so. I think I think it is the data center.

[R. Scott Campbell]: Data center, entity, something like that. Yeah. There's one. That is.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Okay. Thank you. So then the water provisions have been moved, so they'll appear later. Section numbers have all been updated. So, and I did change the order, so the application section is coming before the Act two fifty, just the application of fifth chapter, section is now section two, section three is the Act two fifty book, and then section four is the new home of the water use provisions, and Michael Brady suggested this statute. Also added a definition now to this section of data center. And I think you wanted to strike Yes. What was the reference to commission. And then, Would you spend a discharge to wastewater? We know that Program that monitors the wastewater discharge around the data center, including monitoring for the presence of PFAS. The monitoring plan shall be approved by the agency on a determination that it meets the Vermont Water Quality Standards. Report is the same. Instead of a study, you want a recommendation. So, the commissioner shall recommend a regulatory model for data center decommissioned. Be the recommended regulatory model, developers ensure responsible, and then otherwise, that section is the same. Did I miss anything? Wow.

[Kathleen James]: No.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: I'm gonna start taking out the bowl because I don't yeah. Stop sharing for now. Sure.

[Unidentified speaker]: Could you go back down to go.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Is it on the water? It's on the water. Okay. Any language? From the Wastewater?

[Unidentified speaker]: The addition of PFAS to water discharge from a data center shall be prohibited from law. So addition addition of PFAS to water discharge.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Oh, was that the words of the I saw that before.

[Kathleen James]: The intent this is the intentional versus

[Unidentified speaker]: I don't remember what we said,

[R. Scott Campbell]: but there was something that we talked about with that.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: It had been the intentional

[R. Scott Campbell]: Yep. Addition.

[Kathleen James]: Think O'Grady had concerns with the intentional. Right? Like, what does that mean? Right?

[Unidentified speaker]: Yep. I'm good.

[Kathleen James]: Together. Do folks have questions, comments? Ready to vote?

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Yeah. It's been a big lift. Please the common cliche. Thank you for taking this bill out. Yeah.

[Kathleen James]: Thanks for working on it. Important. Yep.

[Dara Torre]: Interesting. It's been

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: a long journey. I remember talking about this at in August or whenever that was.

[Kathleen James]: Okay. So

[R. Scott Campbell]: Good to know.

[Dara Torre]: Draw a poll first to approve the new draft to the bill. So somebody can make a motion to approve draft 1.5 to H727. I move to approve

[R. Scott Campbell]: draft 1.5 to H727.

[Dara Torre]: All in favor? Okay. Now we need a second motion to move that we report H-seven 27 favorable.

[R. Scott Campbell]: Be also to move You're a motion, I. That we report 8,727 favorable with amendment.

[Kathleen James]: Okay. The clerk shall commence.

[Dara Torre]: Representative Bailey? Representative Campbell?

[R. Scott Campbell]: Yes.

[Dara Torre]: Representative Howard? Yes. Representative Putnam?

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Yes. Representative Morrow? Yes.

[Dara Torre]: Representative Sibilia? Yes. Representative Salker? Yes. Representative Torre? Yes. And Cheryl Jones? Yes.

[Kathleen James]: Wow. Nice job, everybody.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Love it.

[Kathleen James]: K. So I have, as requested, texted the chair of ways and means to let her know that we voted the bill out to see if they're gonna take a look at it. So I guess we don't

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: know when it's on the floor just yet.

[Kathleen James]: Floor reporter, rep Sibilia. So you'll do the sending in?

[Laura Sibilia]: Yes. So yes. I I think I need I need to sleep. So what are the The you need the final copy. I'm doing that right now.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Yep. Okay. Yeah. And then I'm gonna email it to Nigel. Is that right?

[Dara Torre]: And you're gonna say that I can vouch council. Well, because she's doing 727.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: Is that Google? No. You're right. I'm sorry. Don't

[Dara Torre]: ask Chair. Know. But We're all

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: I know what I'm doing. It's Friday. I

[Kathleen James]: what I'm doing with my bill. I am sending 260781 clean copy to whoever Is in that.

[Legislative Counsel (name unknown)]: You told me is in the email you told me.

[Kathleen James]: Okay. I think that we can go off live, and we may crossover.