When I had a friend tell me that she was sleeping in her basement, the warmest part of her house but still only 40 degrees, with as many blankets as she could because her family could not afford to turn the heat on, I knew this was an issue I wanted to address. Many families in Vermont suffer from high heating costs during cold months. They are forced to decide between paying their heating bills, driving them into debt, or not turning the heat on at all. There are many different ways in which this is addressed, but no solution yet has been sustainable and effective in eradicating low-income individuals inability to pay heating bills.

A study done by Dartmouth undergraduates revealed that 10.6% of Vermont’s population is impoverished, and 100% of them live in rural areas. A 2010 US Census showed that 61.1% of Vermont’s population lived in these rural areas. The Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) reported that a third of the Vermont housing stock was built before 1950, before high-energy costs and the awareness to build with energy conservation practices was in mind. All of these factors combined have created an environment that makes heating houses (from September to April) a large financial burden for Vermonters.

According to a study done by Maura Collins for VHFA, in the state of Vermont, 49% of housing units are heated with fuel oil or kerosene, which is significantly higher than the U.S average. Both fuels are non-regulated, meaning the market determines their price instead of the state. This leads to a greater potential for dramatic fluctuations in prices for the consumer. From 2005-2010 the price of oil increased 32%, while wages have remained stagnant since 2007. This led to people spending a higher percentage of their income on fuel and put constraints on other expenses. Electricity is another fuel source for heating, especially in Burlington, but is not much more affordable. The price of electricity happens to be higher in New England than any other regions in the country because we import it. Therefore relying on the market to create affordable prices is not an option. Although prices are currently down, at any moment they can skyrocket.

Those most affected by this problem include the elderly, children, and those with long-term illnesses. These population groups tend to spend more time at home, therefore require greater amounts of fuel. If the houses are cold and even damp, they can easily lead to illnesses like bronchitis, asthma, and strokes in these vulnerable population groups.

In response to the cold winter ahead, the Rutland Herald reported that state officials said that a home heating assistance program will increase its benefit level for most beneficiaries so that on average 54% of heating costs will be covered for households. The money for this program comes from a federal fund from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which will be added to additional funds, making the overall budget $23.6 million for this years program. More than 21,500 low-income Vermonters will receive this assistance, less than previous years, who are eligible if their gross household income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. A decline in households and an increase in those who still benefits means that more people are seeing an increase in their incomes, a promising statistic.

Is this our only solution? Keep assisting low-income families instead of changing things in their lives so that they can pay bills easily on their own? I am a believer in giving people the tools to become independent instead of keeping them on a lifeline. It is not sustainable, therefore I propose a new strategy; community energy projects. Community energy is the growing movement in the US where people adopt sustainable energy technology and other strategies in groups and/or on shared property. Already this idea has been implemented across towns in Vermont, and so far we have seen success. One project, in particular, was the Rutland Community Solar Array where 50 households leased out 3kW solar panels to power their homes. Due to the solar credit that they get from Green Mountain Power for doing the project, their monthly bills were cheaper than before.

There are many different models from community energy projects to fit any type of community no matter their size, utility company, geographical location, and home type. I believe it is the sustainable solution to go with because not only does the project tend to create renewable energy, but also generates credits from utility companies, not taxes, and grants can come from non-profit organizations. It is the solution that provides the affordable bills those low-income families can afford and gives them the opportunity to be independent.

Sources:

Black-Plumeau, L., Collins, M. (December 11, 2009). 2010 Vermont housing needs assessment: vermont’s housing stock challenges. Vermont Housing Finance Agency. Retrieved from http://www.vhfa.org/documents/hna2010/03-stock.pdf.

Blalock, T. W., Lumbert, D. R. (August 25, 2010). Poverty in vermont: reduction and profiles. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College: The Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences. Retrieved from http://www.vtaffordablehousing.org/documents/resources/517_PRS-DeepPovertyReport.pdf

Collins, Maura. (2011, April). Between a rock and a hard place: housing and wages in vermont. Vermont Housing Finance Agency.Retrieved from http://www.vhfa.org/documents/housing-wages-2011.pdf .

Goldberg, M., Teel, S. (2015, October). Difficult choices: housing for vermont families. Voices for Vermont Children. Retrieved from http://www.vhcb.org/pdfs/DIFFICULT-CHOICES-Housing-for-Vermont-Families.pdf .

Goswami, N (November 04, 2016). More fuel heating assistance this winter. Rutland Herald. Retrieved from http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20161104/THISJUSTIN/161109853 .

Klein, S. J., & Coffey, S. (2016). Building a sustainable energy future, one community at a time. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 60867-880. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2016.01.129

United States Census Bureau (March 26, 2012). Growth in urban population outpaces rest of nation, census bureau reports. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.html .

Isabelle Federico, a native Vermonter, is a student at the University of Vermont, and will receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Community and International Development in May 2017.