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By Michael Bielawski
A report on statewide fuel sales regarding the heating and transportation sectors indicates that there was “no significant change” in fuel consumption patterns despite massive public investments in green technology for heating, transportation, and energy production.
“Reported fossil fuel sales volume decreased in the thermal sector in 2024 compared to 2023; data regarding sales of natural gas in 2024 has not yet been reported. Sales of gasoline and diesel fuel for transportation increased,” their presser states. The study was done by their Climate Action Office.
This is despite big investments in green tech.
“Vermont taxpayers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in reducing emissions over the past five years and many forces impact the success of decarbonization efforts, including upfront costs, Vermonters’ readiness, and workforce and supply-chain constraints,” the report states.
For example, this year’s state budget includes carbon-emissions reduction spending of an estimated $520 million.
In short, overall carbon-based fuel consumption remained relatively unchanged. It states, “Preliminary analysis indicates no significant change in the combined year-over-year greenhouse gas emissions from these two sectors.”
Long-term trends show a slight decrease in consumption when looking back to before COVID-19. It states, “Sales of gasoline are now approximately 26 million gallons (8%) lower than they were in 2019, and diesel sales are 2.5 million gallons (nearly 4%) lower.”
Slow progress explained
“Vermont taxpayers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in reducing emissions over the past five years and many forces impact the success of decarbonization efforts, including upfront costs, Vermonters’ readiness, and workforce and supply-chain constraints,” the report states.
It continues, “ANR stated that the investments that are being made are integral to our ability to drive long-term reductions in Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions. The preliminary data for 2024 offer an important reminder about why it is critical to track annual fossil fuel usage, as well as the value of being able to look at this data over time.”
“Significant resources” committed
Despite the claim of savings, there are big expenses too. The report states, “In the months ahead, ANR staff will dig into all available data to better understand what factors may have contributed to the increases in gasoline and diesel fuel sales, and whether there are more efficient and effective ways to invest the significant resources Vermont taxpayers have committed to greenhouse gas emissions reductions.”
In 2024 Vermont’s Public Service Department estimated that just the state’s conversion to electrical heating via the ‘Clean Heat Standard’ would cost the state about $10 billion.
Global Warming Solutions Act benchmark “may not be met”
The controversial Global Warming Solutions Act may be missing its targets regarding carbon dioxide emissions.
“While the preliminary emissions estimates for 2024 from the transportation and thermal sectors indicate that the economy-wide January 1, 2025, Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) requirement may not be met, the multi-year trends offer important context in helping identify areas of success as well as continued challenges,” it states.
It adds that formal requirements regarding emission reductions are still two years away.
“Officially, compliance with the requirements of the GWSA will be determined when the Vermont Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report for 2024 is completed and released in 2027,” it states.
Green energy cuts looming?
On the national scene, the Trump Administration is cutting subsidies to green energy initiatives according to a new report from the free-market think-tank The Heritage Foundation.
“Currently, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is fighting to claw back $20 billion the Biden administration allocated to the “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.”
It continues, “This fund essentially operates a ‘green bank’ that lends money to environmental projects unable to attract private funding.”
The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle
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Categories: Energy, Environment, State Government, Transportation
This is because it was NEVER about reducing emissions!
It was and is a cover to constrict and control every facet of Vermont Citizens and to grease the bureaucratic wheel and all those living off the grift.
Want to bring down emissions, that’s easy.
No tax on any car with a combined fuel economy of 30mpg.
Allow small cars to be imported, Nano would have been the greenest at $2700 a pop it would have helped the poor too.
$5 registration on cars over 10 years old, promotes recycling.
Go organic
Reduce chemical use in food, body and environment.
Promote recycling efforts in every town
No tax on small homes, less than 1400 sq ft big tax on large homes 3200 sq ft from all angles.
Suddenly we’d be healthier and using less energy.
It’s sophisticated Marxist control, in Cuba they are crude, they turn off the water and electricity because the system is so “fragile”, like they could never fix it? No, it keeps everybody in control.
Vermont is more sophisticated…..we do it with taxes, kickbacks, grifting jobs and regulations.
Follow the money, regulations and handouts. You’ll find bureaucrats love the system!
Geesh, Neil! You’re taking all my talking points, so obviously I think you’re bang on once again.
Given the successes of DOGE so far, wouldn’t you like to know where all the money wasted on “Green” REALLY ended up? Did it end up going to illegals? Did it go directly to politicians to line their own pockets? Did it wind up going to child traffickers? NGOs? Or maybe it purchased illicit arms for the drug cartels?
I don’t know about you, but I’d like to know that, even if I think the climate scam is nonsense, my tax dollars actually went to where they were supposed to go. Like most Patriots, all I ask is TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY. And when I get it, I’ll shut the heck up.
I hear New Hampshire’s looking to start their own DOGE…. Why can’t we?
Ask yourself, why would anyone be opposed to uncovering fraud and waste in government? What was it they told us? “If you did nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about”, right? And of course, they’ve done nothing shady at all according to them, so what’s your problem (or “issue” for the younger generations)? Because… “You have nothing to worry about”….
Here is an example, surely rampant across the country………….this is how the bureaucracy works and funds itself.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1894903740341121228
Thanks Neil, your comments are spot on and that X post is an indictment against not only the corrupt health insurance industry but also corrupt Big Health that incredibly won’t allow this woman to pay cash.
Just curious. What happened to this article?
https://vermontdailychronicle.com/prelim-emissions-data-for-2024-show-little-change-from-2023-levels/
“Obviously we need to spend twice as much money, and create twice as many regulations before these rubes, er, citizens get with the program.”
What exposes the VT green agenda as a scam? It’s simple. So simple that few have recognized it. Before legislating the GWSA, the CHS, the CRS, etc., the grid should have been upgraded to handle all aspects of electrifying VT. But it wasn’t. Why not? Because the plan was to spend billions in Federal funds and taxpayer’s dollars to build solar fields and windmills for the sole purpose of making profits selling renewable energy credits. Outside of the Burlington metropolitan area it would be disastrous to electrify towns, villages, and rural residences. And even if the grid was upgrade the poor and working class couldn’t afford to do it. If landlords electrified their properties, rents would be raised so high that people could not afford them. It would cost $10 billion to upgrade the grid enough to support an EV charging infrastructure along VT’s major roads.
So, given only a couple of examples of why the green agenda is failing, what is the major purpose for solar fields and windmills?