Notices for Week of: October 1, 2009
PROPOSED STATE RULES
By law, public notice of proposed rules must be given by publication in newspapers of record. The purpose of these notices is to give the public a chance to respond to the proposals. The public notices for administrative rules are now also available online at http://vermont-archives.org/aparules/ovnotices.htm The law requires an agency to hold a public hearing on a proposed rule, if requested to do so in writing by 25 persons or an association having at least 25 members.
To make special arrangements for individuals with disabilities or special needs please call or write the contact person listed below as soon as possible
To obtain further information concerning any scheduled hearing(s), obtain copies of proposed rule(s) or submit comments regarding proposed rule(s), please call or write the contact person listed below. You may also submit comments in writing to the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, State House, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 (828-2231).
Consumer Fraud Rule (CF) 111, Liquefied Petroleum "Propane" Gas.
Vermont Proposed Rule: 09P039
AGENCY: Attorney General's Office
CONCISE SUMMARY: The Attorney General's Office proposes to revise CF 111, which was first promulgated in 1986, in a number of respects, including: tightening the protections for tenants of landlords whose gas service is disconnected; updating some of the numerical thresholds for disconnection; expanding the right to purchase essential gas for cash; minimizing special delivery charges; revising the procedures governing credit applications and changes; requiring prompt billing; updating the prohibition on discrimination; and adding new provisions on tank removals/refunds, disclosure of prices and charges, prohibited charges, and the effect of state safety laws.
TYPE OF PERSONS AFFECTED: Approximately 140,000 Vermont consumers of propane gas, and some 75 propane gas retailers. Notice of the proposed rule revision has been sent to the Agency of Human Services (which runs the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, the Department of Public Service, the Department of Public Safety, the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association, and the Center Vermont Community Action Council.
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS: The Attorney General's Office has worked closely with the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association to ensure that the proposed rule revisions are reasonable, so their economic impact is expected to be limited. Under the revisions, there may be individual cases where dealers will now need to (1) send disconnection notices, or provide service (or service for cash); (2) remove tanks or provide reimbursements more promptly when service ends; (3) provide price and charge information on request; and (4) refrain from billing for certain types of prohibited charges -- but these changes should not be widespread or have a major financial impact. In a more systemic way, dealers may also need to update their procedures for billing and for handling credit applications and changes, and provide charge disclosure sheets to all new customers and some existing customers, as well as fuel-purchasing brochures to all customers; this latter obligation will impose some modest cost.
SCHEDULED HEARINGS: A public hearing is scheduled for October 22, 2009, in the Pavilion Auditorium in Montpelier, starting at 10:00 a.m.
DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: November 5, 2009
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Elliot Burg, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609 802-828-2153
Return to the 2009 date selection page for more weekly notices or choose from the links in the left sidebar for notices from a different year.
*****************************************
- If you have general questions about the rulemaking process, please contact
- Louise Corliss by e-mail at or by phone 802-828-2863
This page was last updated on: 2009-12-11.
