For anyone interested in recent actions related to the Clean Heat Standard saga and questionable actions by the Public Utilities Commission. This Vermont Public news story may be insightful.
In sum, a contract for biogas-powered electricity from a New York landfill will generate little actual ‘renewable’ power for Vermont. And unlike the nuclear and hydropower the Legislature is turning its nose up at, it’s not even carbon-free generation.
It is evident that faux solutions will be sought after in order for Vermont to play the corporate carbon credit game. This will not offer any level of a real solution for Vermont or the environment. If it is solely based on a carbon metric with no measurable or actual impact then we are not making progress. Action and solutions must make sense and be tangible.
One of the major problems with the Global Warming Solutions Act is that its narrow emphasis on carbon distracts from solving the actual problems we face here related to a clean environment- water, land, air quality goals, chemical reductions and the issue of ubiquitous microplastics – found everywhere including human lung tissue.
There are multiple meaningful actions that VT can take to reduce and sequester our carbon, weatherize, and emphasize efficiency, while we diversify energy sources and build out supportive, necessary infrastructure and ensure equitable access to options for all.
The Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) also disturbingly allows anyone to sue Vermont if carbon reductions are not met. This is essentially akin to someone punishing themselves for getting an A instead of an A+. Vermont is doing an incredible job with living lightly on the earth and fostering and promoting sustainable lifestyles. Many are working hard and working towards a path that serves the environment and the people everyday with their choices to the capacity that they are able. There are kinder options and solutions that do not punish the people and businesses for not making the change quick enough. The GWSA will only result in a waste of taxpayer dollars in lawsuits versus the application of money to help people transition and aid the overall situation at hand.
Considerations regarding striking down and amending this aspect of the GWSA will help ensure that money does not get wasted with lawyers and the courts and will also help prevent impulsive, ineffective actions to “prove” carbon reduction. This way available funding can go towards creating the change we need and want to see happen here in VT.
Categories: Commentary
Put me down for two or three credits.
Next stop eBay so I can redeem my good works.
In all reality – it seems money is actually being paid to British Petroleum for toxic landfill gases to travel around in leaky pipes up to Canada and most likely never make it here- if we would even want it. This makes absolutely zero sense.
If this is what climate policy in VT looks like due to GWSA -Repeal GWSA -Completely bogus, ridiculous and will Vermonters be charged more for this meaningless, wasteful carbon game.
Appalling this action was considered and approved.
The development of a light footprint culture of reuse and frugality is not going to be accomplished by herding citizens with laws obstructing their access to fuels. Submission to the rule of an enlightened cognoscenti is not going to work. This is likely to be a long term conversion process.
At the expense of the taxpayer they could care less. Suck it up taxpayers you idiots voted them in
The voters have not been fairly or fully informed, because the news media is corrupt.
If we travel back in geological time, we might get a long-term perspective. Our carbon/CO2 levels are significantly lower than they have been during nearly all of Earth’s history. In fact, today’s low CO2 concentration is starving trees and plants of the food they need to achieve their full growth potential via photo-synthesis.
Climate alarmism is the greatest lie ever told.
“The energy crisis is a long-planned strategy of western corporate and political circles; to dismantle the industrial economies in the name of a dystopian Green agenda.” – William Engdahl, GLOBAL RESEARCH, “How Blackrock Investment Fund Triggered the Global Energy Crisis.”