Republican Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday vetoed a bill aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging Vermonters to move away from using fossil fuels to heat their homes.

Scott vowed last week that he would veto the Affordable Heat Act, saying that while he shares the bill's goal, he believes the legislation would give too much authority to the unelected Public Utilities Commission and could end up punishing Vermonters who are least able to afford to switch.

"Here’s the bottom line: The risk to Vermonters and our economy throughout the state is too great; the confusion around the language and the unknowns are too numerous; and we are making real and measurable progress reducing emissions with a more thoughtful, strategic approach that is already in motion," Scott wrote in his veto letter to lawmakers.

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He vetoed a similar bill last year, and an override failed by one vote in the House. Democratic lawmakers have a veto-proof majority in the House and Senate, but it’s unclear if all would vote to override this veto.

"The Affordable Heat Act is an essential step forward to plan for and fully understand what it will take, what it will cost and how Vermonters can benefit from more local, cleaner, and more affordable heat," said Sen. Rebecca White, a Democrat, in a statement. "It is the Climate Solutions Caucus leadership’s hope and expectation – as the two recent and decisive House and Senate votes have demonstrated – that the majority of policy makers will continue to support taking the next hard, important step forward toward a more equitable, affordable, cleaner heat future."

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The Affordable Heat Act grew out of legislation passed in 2020 that requires Vermont to reduce greenhouse gas pollution to 26% below 2005 levels by 2025. Emissions would need to be 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80% below by 2050.

House Speaker Jill Krowinski has said Scott and others were spreading misinformation about the legislation, particularly that Vermonters would be unable to afford to heat their homes.

A program in Nevada allowing eligible prisoners to work as wildland firefighters may soon be significantly scaled back after state lawmakers signaled approval for the move on Thursday.

Three rural prison firefighting camps, Ely Conservation Camp, Tonopah Conservation Camp and Humboldt Conservation Camp, would be reduced to what has been described as a "skeleton security crew" if the budget receives final approval next week, The Associated Press reported.

The closing of the camps comes as the number of eligible prisoners dropped from about 740 to 300 over the past few years, despite the state Division of Forestry still heavily relying on their labor for fire-response. 

A recent lawsuit from the ACLU of Nevada stated the prison firefighters made up about 30% of the state Division of Forestry’s wildland fire-response capacity in 2021.

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The lawsuit alleged inadequate training and harsh conditions, including instances where inmates were burned during response efforts.

Inmates approved to participate in the program make $24 per day – another point of contention as some lawmakers describe the low wage as "inhumane" and "convict leasing."

Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford previously said the program reminded him of times during the Reconstruction Era when states and companies made money from arresting mostly black men then sending them to private railways, mines and plantations for cheap. 

In contrast, the state Division of Forestry has said the program is voluntary, adding that it offers those incarcerated hands-on training and experience they might not receive otherwise.

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Lawmakers also signaled approval to potentially revive the former Warm Springs Correctional Facility, a recently shuttered prison in northern Nevada, in a budget proposal from the state's Department of Corrections.

If the suggestion receives final approval next week, the facility will operate on a standby basis for a revival or a remake into a firefighting camp should the prison population rise again, Nevada DOC spokesperson Bill Quenga told The AP.

According to The Nevada Independent, the state Division of Forestry will restructure positions left vacant into full-time firefighter jobs to cover the gaps the shrinking camps are expected to leave.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.