Rhode Island governor Dan McKee (D) vetoed a pair of bills that would have required owners of large buildings to report on their annual energy use.
McKee on 24 June vetoed the bills, H7183 and S2260, saying they conflict with a separate provision in the state's budget for the 2027 fiscal year that sets greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions benchmarking and performance standards for state-owned and occupied buildings. The bills would have created uncertainty over how the reporting program would be administered and would have taken resources away from the benchmarking provision outlined in the state budget, according to McKee
In addition, the bills pose "a significant unfunded mandate" for Rhode Island's Office of Energy Resources (OER) as it does not allocate funding for the agency to implement the reporting requirements outlined in the legislation, the governor said.
"The framework enacted through the [fiscal year] 2027 budget represents a more practical and sustainable path forward and does not place any burden on residential and commercial properties," McKee said.
The sponsors of the bills, senator Meghan Kallman (D) and representative Rebecca Kislak (D), said they were disappointed by McKee's veto.
"It is irresponsible to veto this legislation, which is the first step to getting information about building energy use so we can ensure a healthy and affordable energy future for everyone," Kislak said.
"I think it represents a lack of understanding of where we are at this moment. To veto an energy efficiency program at a time when Rhode Islanders are facing astronomical energy prices, I think, is careless and irresponsible," said Kallman, who pointed towards a similar program that is being enacted in the state's capital, Providence, which covers 40pc of the state's large buildings.
The General Assembly, which holds comfortable Democratic majorities, passed both bills earlier this month.
The legislation would have required residential and non-residential buildings at least 25,000 ft2 to report their annual energy consumption. OER would have been charged with implementing the program, identifying and notifying covered properties of their reporting requirements and submitting reports to the General Assembly detailing the energy use and emissions data received.
The legislation was seen as the first step in eventually implementing GHG performance standards for large buildings and help the state reach its climate goals. H7183 was accompanied by a second bill, H7184, that would have required the establishment of performance standards. But that bill died in committee, and critics warned that implementing such standards would prohibitively increase costs.
State lawmakers could attempt to override McKee's veto of the bills, but to do so would require at least 60pc of lawmakers in both chambers of the General Assembly to support such a measure. In addition, the General Assembly completed the legislative session for this year. In some special cases, the governor can call a special session of the legislature.
"It is possible, and it is my hope that we will" override the veto of the bills, Kallman said.
Rhode Island must lower its GHG emissions by 45pc from 1990 levels by 2030, 80pc by 2040 and achieve net zero emissions by mid-century.
