Press Release on Comprehensive Energy Bill

For Immediate Release:                     
April 26, 2007                                

Environmentalists Unite Behind Global Warming Bill
Governor’s support is last major hurdle to real climate progress

Montpelier – Environmentalists gathered in the State House today to demonstrate united support for the comprehensive energy bill (H.520) now under consideration in the Senate that will make significant strides towards reducing global warming pollution. Advocates see this legislation as the culmination of a statewide call for meaningful legislative solutions to global warming that included more than 60 Step It Up rallies attended by thousands of Vermonters and tens of thousands of signatures, letters, and phone calls made by Vermont citizens this year.

“Public demand for real solutions to global warming has never been louder,” said James Moore, VPIRG’s Clean Energy Advocate. “This bill delivers. By investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, this bill will make Vermont the national leader it should be in the fight to stop global warming.”

Supporters see the bill as an essential step in the fight to achieve the 80% cuts in greenhouse Gas emissions scientists say are necessary to avert climate catastrophe.

“On April 14th, thousands of Vermonters joined the largest day of environmental action in our country’s history. They sent a loud, clear call for local and national legislation to step it up on global warming,” said Elizabeth Courtney, VNRC’s Executive Director. “To achieve our aggressive goals we’ll need strong leadership to cut pollution in our transportation, heating and electricity sectors. This bill is a must-pass first step.”

The bill is widely expected to pass the Senate in the coming weeks. That will set up a conference committee that will need to hammer out differences between the House and Senate versions.

That conference committee will need to reconcile several issues including the funding mechanism for the efficiency utility, currently proposed as a tax on Vermont Yankee; and changes to renewable energy language that will set tax rates for wind power and require utilities to provide more electricity from local renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass.

“This bill is the product of much hard work and compromise in the legislature to craft a major advance in Vermont’s efforts to combat global warming while helping Vermonters cope with the burden of skyrocketing heating costs,” said VACV associate director Todd Bailey.  “We call on the governor to join in leading this effort by supporting this bill.”