Pursuant to Act 174 of 2016, the Vermont Legislature directed the formation of a working group to review the ease of citizen participation in proceedings before what was then known as the Vermont Public Service Board. The mission of the Act 174 Working Group was to make recommendations to make it easier for citizens to participate in those proceedings. As part of this review, the Act 174 Working Group submitted a wide range of written recommendations in December of 2016 to the House and Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Energy, the Senate Committee on Finance, and the Joint Energy Committee. Most of those recommendations have since been implemented, either through legislation or by the Commission itself. The most visible difference was to change our name from the Public Service Board to the Public Utility Commission. This simple change made it possible for our name to provide the public with a better understanding of what we do, and to distinguish us from the separate Department of Public Service.
The Act 174 Working Group was comprised of the following members:
Senator Virginia Lyons, Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Representative Tony Klein, House Committee on Natural Resources and Energy
Superior Court Judge Robert Mello
Commissioner Christopher Recchia, Department of Public Service
Commissioner Margaret Cheney, Public Utility Commission
Recommendations
- Report to the Legislature (December 14, 2017) - press release
- Report to the Legislature (December 15, 2016
Background Documents
- Act 174 Summary
- Act 174 as Enacted
- Commission Rule 2.000, Rules of Practice
- Citizens' Guide to the Commission's Section 248 Process
Working Group Meetings
The ninth meeting was held on December 6, 2016, in the Susan M. Hudson Hearing Room, Third Floor, 112 State Street, Montpelier, VT. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
The eighth meeting was held on Thursday, November 17, 2016. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
The seventh meeting was held on Thursday, November 3, 2016. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
The sixth meeting was held on Thursday, October 20, 2016. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
The fifth meeting was held on Thursday, October 6, 2016. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
The fourth meeting was held on Thursday, September 22. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
- Presentation re Recommendations of Energy Siting Task Force and Solar Siting Task Force
- Presentation re Public Participation in Act 250 Process
- Presentation on Act 174
The third meeting was held on Thursday, September 8, 2016. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
The second meeting was held on Thursday, August 25, 2016. Minutes - Agenda - Audio
The first meeting was held on Friday, August 5, 2016. Minutes - Agenda
Public Hearing
The Citizen Participation in PUC Proceedings Working Group (established by Act 174) convened a public hearing on Tuesday, October 11, 2016, in Room 11 of the Statehouse in Montpelier, Vermont.
Links
Commission Guidelines and Procedures
Vermont Energy Generation Siting Policy Commission