by Alison Despathy

On Friday, December 2, I attended the Keep Vermont Cool forum in St. Johnsbury. Like many Vermonters, I hold concerns about the risks, unknown impacts and illogical path of Vermont climate policy and felt compelled to raise questions and seek answers.

The lack of clear benefit and measurable outcomes in the Clean Heat Standard raises red flags.  Many representatives believe they can force a system that is proving a failure elsewhere. This demands pause and scrutiny. The plan to ‘tax’ people and small businesses in such a deceptive design lacks integrity and brings financial burden and harm. The CHS is destructive, not constructive, legislation.

CHS was difficult for many legislators to understand. There was no substantial dive into the weeds regarding impacts, ethics, risks, sourcing issues, alternatives, economic burdens, the importance of diversity in options or long term feasibility, especially given the exponential evolution of innovative, energy technologies. It was defeated last session by the lone Democratic vote to uphold the Governor’s veto,

Vermont has 75% forest coverage. Many are committed to living lightly via sustainable stewardship. CHS distracts from the real issues such as water quality, toxic exposures, environmental contaminants, microplastics, and agriculture imbalances – all of which demand priority. These real issues are ignored in the narrow focus on meeting carbon goals. Money that could be spent dealing with real issues becomes wrapped up in adding bureaucratic positions, data collection, analysis and reports – (aka busywork) instead of directly applied to solutions.

With all this in mind, I attended this event hoping to understand the current direction.

Senator Elect Rebecca White, Representative Campbell, St, Johnsbury Selectman Steve Isham, Representative Elect Bobby Farlice Rubio, the Keep Vermont Cool crew and 25-30 local community members attended. Here were my impressions.

I saw a highly superficial, propagandized presentation. No depth, no conversation about details and imperfections. The audience heard a story, a very contrived story, painting the CHS and Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) as pretty as pie. It was actually mentioned that it was a good thing that the state of Vermont could be sued if we fail to meet our carbon reductions. This is the most insane aspect of the GWSA. Vermont has no money to waste in a lawsuit.

The question begs asking – does Vermont have a carbon issue? I have taught human biology and nutrition for over twenty years. From a physical standpoint, carbon is life – literally. The earth has developed intricate systems to naturally store and sequester carbon. 75% of Vermont is forested, forests are the one of the best natural ways to sequester carbon. The earth has mastered this process and with a rich forest floor teaming with mycorrhiza and vast underground fungal networks, near infinite amounts of carbon can be stored for when life, trees, and plants demand. There is a brilliant exchange of carbon and minerals between these fungal networks and the forest.

It is always humbling to see what nature has figured out and mastered. But egos and arrogance often interfere and us humans often think we can do it better.

In addition to some fear mongering and a cherry-picked data presentation, Senator Elect Rebecca White discussed an idea called the Affordable Heating Act (AHA – pretty cute). This was going to be the Affordable CHS? Who was paying? This was never addressed. There was never any explanation about how this racket would work or who would see the collected “tax.”  What percentage would go to the people, the public utilities commission (PUC), the local fuel dealers? Could small, local fuel dealers carry this burden? Would it push them out and make room for global, corporate fuel dealers who could survive due to their size and profits?  Would businesses move out of state? Would residents buy fuel from New Hampshire?

Plain and simple – there was no real conversation. No weeds, instead all rainbows and unicorns. A pretty picture painted about how Vermont was going to save the planet by enacting this legislation especially now with a super, super majority and a heavy, party line voting pattern.

I brought up the lack of biofuel caps from last session. I was told this was being addressed.

But see – that is the problem.

Why was it not addressed last session? Why was it voted through by many without resolution of these inherent problems? This epitomizes the impulsive and destructive nature of the CHS.

Next, we broke into groups, I brought up the green washing issues, specifically regarding the Public Utilities Commission’s  recently approved purchase of toxic landfill gas (biogas) from British Petroleum in New York which would essentially offer carbon credits to be sold to California and Oregon. This is not a real environmental solution. Is this what Vermont climate policy looks like?

In the last Q and A, I spoke to the devastating and vast environmental and social injustices related to mining cobalt and lithium in order to source material for this electric Vermont. Destroying the earth and supporting human rights abuses is never justified. This is a deeply ethical issue that demands acknowledgment and address. We are the only ones who will resolve this issue. We know corporations will not unless pressured by the people. History has taught us that.

This topic is where I met the most opposition. Not from the attendees, but from several elected officials. Representative Campbell stood up and essentially said the earth was burning up and we needed to move forward. He kept interrupting me, fortunately the attendees asked that I be able to finish speaking.

Next came Selectman Isham who very angrily said the only reason people say this is to slow the process down. Well, yes – that is exactly the point. Abusing people and destroying environments is not how we solve a problem.

I am not really sure what Keep Vermont Cool is selling and I don’t think they know either. Dealing with real environmental issues in Vermont is a priority. Playing the corporate carbon game, “taxing” the people and small businesses to force a system is detrimental and gets us nowhere.  It is worth noting that Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) who launched Keep Vermont Cool currently has over 40 lobbyists registered in Vermont heavily pushing this agenda.  I urge you to consider attending one of these Keep Vermont Cool forums and ask the real questions, encourage the deep dive. We deserve answers, clarity and accountability. Mob rule based on propaganda, zealotry and ideology is dangerous and destructive to Vermonters and Vermont.

The author is a clinical nutritionist in St. Johnsbury.