This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The Biden administration already has put the squeeze on water heaters, gas stoves, clothes washers, refrigerators, air conditioners, and other appliances – because of the huge impact their use supposedly has on "climate change."
Now those communities where elites live in million-dollar homes are jumping ahead of him – by imposing a special assessment to mitigate all the global warming caused by hot tubs.
The Colorado Sun reports that Breckenridge, Colorado, and soon Summit County, will abide by a "renewable energy mitigation plan."
It gives homeowners who have hot tubs on their decks, or that true luxury in snow country – a heated driveway – the option of putting in solar pumps, solar panels, wind or water power generators, or just paying a chunk of cash for the privilege.
It's all to "offset greenhouse gases from outdoor amenities," the report explains.
A growing number of mountain communities are joining the campaign, it claims.
"The plans calculate the carbon dioxide emitted from these outdoor features and then require an offset in solar panels added to the property — other energy saving devices may also count — otherwise a cash payment must be made to a fund used by the town for climate-related programs," the report explained.
Also, options are solar hot water systems, geothermal heat pumps, and such.
Jessica Burley, the sustainability and parking manager for Breckenridge, said solar PV "is the easiest and most economical."
The resort communities long have had building codes to manage indoor energy usage, but now they're moving outdoors.
"These are often multi-million-dollar homes," David Samuelson, the building official in Telluride, which also has a REMP, told the Sun. "If they want a hot tub, they are going to have a hot tub."
The mitigation fee in that community is $1,600 for a hot tub, "incidental" to the owners, explained Samuelson.
Aspen, Pitkin County, Crested Butte, Carbondale, and Eagle County also are aboard the agenda.
Officials calculate the energy consumption by kilowatt-hours or British thermal units, for electricity and gas, then send the homeowners a bill.
Officials said in Aspen, "a system to melt snow from a 1,000-square-foot driveway would require 17 kilowatts of photovoltaic panels or a $55,000 payment," the report explained.
The rules are being written to cover those driveway snowmelt systems, pools, spas, roofing heat tape, fire pits, gas heaters, and fireplaces.
Aspen has collected more than $18 million in such fees since 2000, the report said.
Owners of homes in Telluride, which is in a canyon and often shaded, mostly opt to pay the fee, officials said.
Officials said estimated offset payments for a 1,000-square-foot snowmelt unit would require $52,000, and a 10-by-10 hot tub $11,000.
