(The below letter, from the Vermont Sierra Club, was today sent to every member of the Vermont Senate, as well as Governor Shumlin and Rep Klein.)
April 19th, 2012
Concerning H468
Vermont Senate,
The Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club, representing three thousand members in the Green Mountain State, is very concerned about the fate of the Energy Bill, H 468. From the start of this process our organization has called for bold and comprehensive moves to make Vermont a leader in renewable energy reliance/production. We have consistently called for achieving the capacity for 90% reliance on renewables by 2025, with a minimum of 25 MW of new community scale renewable electricity, built in Vermont, per year. We have not been alone in advocating for these numbers. 350 Vermont and the Vermont AFL-CIO have also supported these goals, as have many others. In fact, the original Senate version of the Energy Bill, S.170 brought forth by Senator Ginny Lyons, gallantly sought to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2025.
The Sierra Club recognizes that we, as a state, need to move boldly in such a direction if we are to do our part to fight climate change and pollution while creating good green jobs for Vermonters. The vast majority of Vermonters agree with us on these points. As it stands, H 468 does not embody this sense of urgency concerning renewable energy. Instead of 25 MW of new renewables a year, the legislation has called for 10 MW, and seeks to require not 90% renewables, but 35%. If left unchanged, and un-strengthened these numbers represent significantly less than what the objective situation demands, and even less than what is called for in the Governor’s Comprehensive Energy Plan.
After witnessing the numerous waves of citizen advocacy from our members, and those of other organizations such as 350 Vermont, VNRC, VPIRG, etc., you must understand the frustration and disappointment our members feel for both the process and the proposed outcome of this legislation. As an organization, we have worked hard to generate grassroots support for the goals of this legislation. We have heard the repeated statements by our elected leaders, calling for strong energy legislation. We now call for our legislators to stand behind those statements to maintain credibility for our shared goal of making Vermont a renewable energy leader.
Therefore, we ask that the Energy Bill, H 468 be passed out of committee, and strengthened through amendments from the Senate floor. We need to strengthen the annual standard offer and the requirements of the RPS in the years to come. We urge you to pass this stronger bill, and then work in the interests of Vermonters in the reconciliation process to guarantee that this bill emerge in a final form that is as strong as possible.
In this election year, the Vermont Sierra Club looks forward to actively supporting legislators, in every county, that work to achieve these important ends on the renewable energy front. And finally, On May 1st, we will help orchestrate a huge rally in Montpelier, and we hope and expect to share good news regarding this bill at that event.
Sincerely,
Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club
Put People and The Planet First!
CC Governor Peter Shumlin, Speaker Shap Smith, Representative Tony Klein