By Alison Despathy
And open letter to Chairs Amy Sheldon and Emelie Kornheiser and members of the House Environment and Energy and House Ways and Means Committees –
I write with a heavy heart and honestly in a state of shock because of the lack of due diligence and scrutiny happening around the cost impacts to Vermonters with the current version of H.289, the Renewable Energy Standard (RES). As you know, this bill requires 100% of electricity sold by Vermont utilities to be renewable by 2030.
On January 30, TJ Poor from the Public Service Department (PSD) presented testimony to the House Environment and Energy Committee regarding the exorbitant cost impacts of the current RES. It was requested that he submit a memo to provide additional information related to the costs of the RES proposal, which he did. I am sure at this time and I certainly hope that all of you have had time to review both his testimony and memo. I have linked the full memo below to ensure this is the case.
Specifically Poor stated:
“Incremental cost estimates for H.289 are driven by increased power supply costs, and increased transmission investment caused by Vermont-based generation. The PSD roughly estimates these two areas to cost $1 billion to Vermont ratepayers.”
Poor also shared that “the Public Service Department’s proposal is estimated to be only a fraction of those costs, at $164 million over 10 years (relative to business as usual). The PSD’s proposal remains the only proposal that is based on Vermonters’ input, and is intended to reflect the priorities heard during the stakeholder engagement process. As a reminder, each proposal produces the exact same emissions reductions toward Global Warming Solutions Act requirements, according to Vermont’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, while the PSD’s proposal supports access to renewables for communities and is much more affordable”.
Immediately in response to this testimony and his follow up memo submitted on behalf of the PSD, both Jonathan Dowds and Peter Sterling of Renewable Energy Vermont submitted their rebuttal- also posted below.
As I am sure you are all well aware, REV represents, works for and is funded by the renewable energy industry as is evident from their staff, board and member directory. Their service is not to Vermonters and the economic impacts and residual collateral damage are not the thrust of their intentions or priorities. REV and their members hold a significant financial stake in the passage of H.289.
In direct contrast to this, the PSD as well as yourselves are representing, serving and protecting Vermonters as you all know better than anyone. You have worked hard to be there and you do the work because you care deeply for Vermont and Vermonters. This is why I am so perplexed and frankly appalled that H.289 would move through House Environment and Energy without the demanded and justified conversation regarding cost impacts to Vermonters..
It does not matter that the majority of stakeholders in the RES Working Group embraced this model. If it is economically destructive and not financially feasible then you owe it to your constituents through both service and oath to seek an alternative solution.
TJ Poor from the PSD has offered a solution which is significantly less (~800 hundred million dollars less) in costs to ratepayers. Honestly, I am having flashbacks to S.5, the ironically named Affordable Heat Act, now Act 18. This lack of economic assessment is becoming a dangerous pattern and many Vermonters are concerned.
What is going on?
The fact that this was not discussed and deliberated in House Environment and Energy is beyond comprehension and constitutes a true disservice to Vermonters. Understandably this is not your intention but this is the actual reality.
Unfortunately it does not stop there.
Again as you all know, once the RES was voted out of House Environment and Energy with no worthy discussion and assessment of cost impacts, it moved to House Ways and Means where it now resides. This previous Wednesday in House Ways and Means, Chair Kornheiser directed her committee to narrow their scope and limit their focus to their specific jurisdiction versus addressing the overall bill or economic burdens on Vermonters.
Although this may be a correct assessment on the jurisdiction of Ways and Means, The fundamental question is blatantly obvious. Who and when is the House going to perform a real check and properly deliberate and review the dueling cost scenarios and the overall economic impacts on Vermonters who are already struggling with basic expenses? I must add I cannot believe that I am asking this question.
I have been told by some representatives that this is the jurisdiction of Senate Finance. If this is the case, there is a serious problem with the House procedural process on issues related to economic burdens to Vermonters. If I am missing something here, I apologize and please advise. However at this time, it seems that this colossal issue will be punted to Senate Finance. The fact that it would move through the House without responsible and careful due diligence in service to Vermonters is completely unacceptable.
If something is voted out of the House favorably, this sends a message that the majority agreed this is worthy legislation. How can this be the case?
I will say that again, how can this be the case?
There are murmurings that this bill is the Speaker’s Bill and that it was written by VPIRG and REV. I do not know if this is indeed the case and I do not want to speculate. However, if this is true, I hope it is not driving this destructive path. Further, I hope that someone is brave enough to take the reins and ensure the right direction for Vermont. This is the job description of our legislatures.
When H.289 was first taken up in House Ways and Means last Wednesday, TJ Poor was present, not because he was invited to testify but because he cares and holds concerns for the cost impacts of the RES as it currently stands and he has offered a solution.
I respectfully request that you offer him the opportunity to provide testimony so that this can be brought under the microscope and all can be aware of this potential and significant financial burden that can easily be corrected with an already developed intact, significantly more affordable solution which actually offers the same results and goals.
Please correct this deficiency in the House procedural process and ensure that the RES is either returned to House Environment and Energy for a fix or dealt with appropriately in another House committee.
According to the House Ways and Means agenda, H.289 will be discussed this Tuesday. Joining Ellen Czajkowski from the Legislative Counsel, is Joyce Manchester, Senior Economist/Associate Fiscal Officer from the Joint Fiscal Office. Vermonters are counting on you – our representatives – to uphold your oath to be true and faithful to Vermont and not do anything injurious. Please join the PSD and take action in protecting and serving Vermonters. Please ask the tough questions and allow the real discussion to come through so that Vermonters can be protected from greater financial burdens due to compromised, destructive legislation.
Thank you for your time and service. For those of us paying close attention, this is excruciatingly painful and upsetting to witness. I implore you to take appropriate action and ensure a comprehensive economic impact analysis and that alternatives and amendments are consdiered and implemented.
The author is a Danville resident.
Categories: Energy, Legislation
the key board thumpers are still sleeping/// please do not disturb with all this bad news/// do not forget to get your next covid kill shot/// big pharma needs the money///
message to the key board thumpers/// the early bird gets the worm////
Same things happened with Single Payer. Then one day Shumlin and the legislature woke up and realized they had no way to pay the over 1 billion dollars in costs. Maybe the first order of each legislative session should be a basic course in finance.
AS ESTABLISHED JULY 9, 1793, AND AMENDED THROUGH MARCH 31, 2021
CHAPTER I. A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE STATE OF VERMONT
Article 9. [Citizens’ rights and duties in the State; bearing arms; taxation]
“… previous to any law being made to raise a tax, the purpose for which it is to be raised ought to appear evident to the Legislature to be of more service to community than the money would be if not collected.”
when the legislators are in session they get//// free food/// free housing/// free transportation//// and a big fat pay check/// and you get to pay for it/// why would they want to go home///
Ah come on man. They want a RAISE in pay as well as medical coverage and more. They will just Starve if they don’t get it. Ask Becca White of Windsor County. Oh the Hardship, the need to actually work like regular people.
I’ve never seen such cruelty!!!
Our legislature is out of control. We need to vote in folks who represent us and not their own pockets.
You are killing the state and residents are being forced to move out
The Cabal is large and in charge. They can’t be voted out with current electorate. Option B.
option b ///at your local town meeting in march/// vote down your town or city budget/// vote down your school budgets/// if that does not work kiss your … good by/// or option c///
Same problem in the towns as well. In my town the Cabal rules 5:1. I still vote though. Options are non existent.. except 1.
February 20, 2024 – Epoch Times
‘Pure Junk Science’: Researchers Challenge Narrative on CO2 and Warming Correlation
Yep. It’s another report on the misguided (i.e., corrupt) CO2 strawman fallacy. Meanwhile, behind the scenes of the Biden administration, the U.S. has, for the last year, been pumping *and taxing* more crude oil than at any time in U.S. history.
How much more of this charade are you willing to accept for the false dichotomy of thinking well of yourselves? ‘Who is the greater fool? The fool who leads, or the fool who follows?’
Yes, the climate is getting warmer. It’s been getting warmer for the last ten thousand years.
My guess, quite frankly – this charade is just another corrupt shake-down. The folks in Washington, Montpelier, and hangers-on like VPIRG, claiming to save you from your own ignorance, are simply ripping you off. While Alison Despathy’s plea for common sense is reasonable, there is none to be had.
The dystopian ramifications of this legislative idiocy will come home to roost, sooner or later. ‘Stupid is as stupid does.’
Simply said , the Vermont supermajority of “progressives “and “democrats” is sinking into ideological authoritarianism. Their denominations should be changed to” regressives “and” autocrats “.
They must drop their non-climate agenda immediately , rescind the GWS Act and seek the most reliable, efficient and cheapest sources of energy and concentrate on weatherization, conservation and efficiency. We, as Vermonters, are opposed to the idea that those who control CO2 emissions also control citizens .
Alison Despathy, thank you for this important message to the Ways and Means Committee. The chair appears to view this bill as a distraction to their more important work, but perhaps your communique will help them focus.
Overlooked in the discussion thus far has been the fact that renewables (wind and solar) are weather dependent. The unusually cloudy, mostly calm weather we have had for the past 3 months has reduced the output of wind and solar to a trickle.
A 1000% RPS let alone 100% as this bill calls for would not keep the lights on in Vermont when solar is generating only 2% of grid load and wind is generating 3% for the month of January (Data from ISO-NE). No amount of solar panels, wind turbines and batteries will power the grid during weather like we have had this winter. More EVs and heat pumps only makes things worse as load increases.
Perhaps a change of perspective is needed. When viewing 100% renewable electric power thru the lens of reality, that goal is unachievable for many decades- if ever. However when viewed as a mandatory way to compulsory trade “credits” and create a financial system to exchange these legislatively created “credits” the scheme makes sense. An incredible sum of dollars will be required to enable this scheme- more than the billion dollars currently bandied about. Add in one other state, say Mass- and the scheme…er…”Carbon Credit” system becomes a parasitic tapeworm, working it’s way thru New England- then the northeast, injecting multiple billions per year for re-distribution, graft, payoffs and the obligatory campaign donations. The push by Vermont’s leftist legislators, demanding immediate action has little to do with the environment- but everything to do with beating the clock- ie; enact this corruption scheme before the moderate Vermont voters and legislators have second thoughts. Before joe biden leaves office, before the rest of Vermont wakes up and realizes what was perpetrated upon them.
Vermont has been thru this before, with health care, from 2008- 2011 when peter
shumlin finally saw thru his ego and decided he didn’t want to be the cause of healthcare system failure. The question remains, what groups and individuals are currently funding this frenzy, cui bono? I suspect that behind the cloak of the alphabet Vt environmental lawfare groups, VNRC, CLF, VPIRG and the big renewable energy firms- there is a single source of money that is guiding the totalitarian takeover of energy. We in Vermont are the “Beta” test.
I’m sure China would love to loan Vermont what it needs to pay back Mammon when the time comes…
It’s ironic that, not too long ago, the same people who want to carpet our hillsides with solar panels and our mountain peaks with hideous wind mills were having fits over cell phone towers ruining the landscape.
there must be a sheriff that needs to take his special dog for a walk at the state house parking lot/// good exercise for both of them///
None of this is about saving the planet, and most of us have known that for a long time. Our legislators and their lobbyists need to be asked point blank if they agree with the following quotes by leaders of the globalist organizations to which they have married our state’s policies: The (not so) hidden agenda behind climate change.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/10/the_hidden_agenda_behind_climate_change.html
To have the government so intimately entwined in our lives is just creepy