By Alison Despathy

Representative Scott Campbell, I sincerely hope you heal well and successfully battle your cancer. I send you good wishes for a speedy and full recovery. 

My Mother has been battling peritoneal cancer, right after breast cancer and a recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. She received seven Covid shots- she has now finally been told that she should never receive another experimental Covid injection, her body is continually making altered spike protein which is wreaking havoc on her cells. Sadly, this message comes a bit late, it has been devastating and I hope you have more luck on your journey through cancer and treatment. 

Regarding your recent op-ed, Drama in the Vermont Senate, published in the Caledonian-Record, there are a few details you excluded as well as a whole lot of reality you ignored or do not comprehend. 

When a minority party or legislator does not have the ability to move legislation that is urgent and would help Vermont — especially in the case of addressing the current destructive climate policy that your supermajority has imposed on Vermont —an attempt at a floor amendment is the only path to help offer a solution. This Senate procedure exists precisely to allow the case to be made.   

Republicans in both the Senate and the House have been trying every avenue to amend the current climate policy which imposes well understood, devastating, unrealistic and unaffordable mandates on Vermonters. It is crystal clear, after millions spent on studies and reports that programs such as the Clean Heat Standard, the Cap and Invest program, and the Advanced clean car and truck rules, will be an economic bone-crusher. It will help neither Vermont nor the environment.

Representative Campbell, as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure, the real question is – Why have you not fixed this problem? With multiple bills available to buffer Vermonters from the impact, it is mind blowing, really negligent, to see no action coming out of your committee.  

Are you waiting for the pending lawsuit to force these destructive mandates on Vermont? It seems as if several members of your committee, well aware of the lawsuit, actually want it to proceed in order to enact this destructive and extremist policy. 

Will this finally satisfy your need to save the world? By sacrificing Vermonters?  This is hard for so many to understand. It is both angering and heartbreaking. I am honestly appalled that your Committee has not committed to a real solution and made climate policy adjustments priority number one. 

The Republicans have had no luck despite many attempts to help amend these laws,

Your refusal to listen, learn and act and your single minded drive to sacrifice Vermonters with false hopes of saving the planet offers a glimpse into your extreme ideology and inability to see reality at this time. This is not personal. Due to your blind zealotry, responsible legislators who are willing to take action are stepping up on behalf of Vermonters to do what is right. 

This is why you see attempts at floor amendments by Senator Scott Beck (R-Caledonia) and Senator Terry Williams (R-Rutland) who are trying hard to help protect Vermonters.  

Please do not twist the story. This option to amend on the floor is available for these exact reasons: to deal with urgent or immediate threats or important overlooked legislation.  

For example, the Advanced clean truck rules are a looming threat to many Vermont businesses. You have had a bill in your committee all session to fix this issue and prevent the damage that MA and NY are experiencing, but again zero action and even zero testimony has occurred. Many states have already altered the start date to protect their businesses. Yet your committee has not stepped up. 

What can Vermonters do when leaders like yourself will not lead? 

The option is a floor amendment by those willing to do what is right for Vermont. Thank you Senator Beck for seeing this reality and for your bravery to take action and try to correct this extremist, supermajority, climate policy that does nothing to actually help the environment, yet crushes Vermonters. 

Rep. Campbell, you write:  

“Repealing climate measures without offering alternatives — without addressing the very real challenges the destabilized climate poses for Vermont’s economy, communities and households — is not compromise or serious policymaking, it’s simplistic political posturing.” 

For the record, Vermont has spent over $1 billion dollars in climate action over the past 5 years. Roughly two thirds has been invested in greenhouse gas mitigation, with one third invested in adaptation and resilience. This has driven major changes and workforce growth as well. 

Please stop saying Vermont is not doing anything. We are leading. For more details on Vermont’s climate action and plans – please see Secretary of Agency of Natural Resources Julie Moore’s presentation to Representative Campbell’s House Committee, on climate investments in Vermont. Did you miss this, Representative Campbell? 

In 2018, Nobel Prize-winning economist Williams Nordhaus stated, “Deep reductions in living standards to chase climate goals would amount to burning down the village to save it.”

This is the current Democratic trajectory unless immediate action is taken. 

Senator Beck and others are attempting to strike the right balance between environment and economy. A balance that honors Vermonters, our environment and our way of life. 

Life is about balance. Sadly, Representative Campbell, your extremist climate position, like many within your party at this time, interferes with your ability to seek a constructive and balanced path. 

Thank you to the leaders who are taking the time to comprehend and understand the policy at hand and are rising on the Senate and House floor to help Vermonters. We are grateful for your work. 

The author is a clinical dietician and Danville resident.