Energy and Climate Action Program

In the year 2012 Vermont will face significant challenges in how we meet our current electric energy needs. Vermont's contracts with Hydro-Quebec will expire, as will Vermont Yankee's current license, both of which represent a combined total of two thirds of the state’s electric energy supply. This fact, combined with the impending oil shortages, portends that an energy crisis is on its way. Vermont needs a plan for how to proceed that respects Vermonters’ values and builds on energy efficiency and a sustainable energy portfolio.

Working with partner organizations and relevant state agencies, the Vermont Natural Resources Council will advocate for energy conservation and efficiency at all levels of energy production and utilization, pushing for appropriate legislative action necessary to implement efficiency standards throughout public and private institutions.

In addition, VNRC will support long-term transition from conventional nuclear and fossil fuels to reliable, low impact, renewable energy sources. Vermont exports over $1 billion out of state every year for energy, and has fallen behind in the move to increase energy production from in-state renewable sources while expanding broad-based energy efficiency programs.

Click here for a one-page summary of VNRC's Energy and Climate Action Program.

VNRC believes that:

1. Vermont continues to rely too heavily on out-of-state fossil fuel sources and an aging and dangerous nuclear reactor that the state should retire at the end of its license in 2012.
2. Vermont lacks an up-to-date, comprehensive energy plan that identifies how the state will meet its energy needs, sustainably and safely, now and far into the future.
3. Aggressive investments in efficiency and conservation are vital first steps to reducing energy demand and meeting the state’s energy needs. Vermont must invest more into programs that support efficiency and conservation.
4. There is significant potential to develop sustainable, low-impact renewable energy in Vermont, such as solar, wind, biomass, combined heat and power, methane recapture and other means of distributed generation.
5. Moving away from 20th-century dirty, expensive and dangerous energy options towards energy-saving, renewable energy sources will not only create 21st century jobs, but is imperative to combat the world’s most pressing environmental challenge — climate change.
6. With over 40 percent of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions attributable to transportation, the state must aggressively promote compact development and alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle that maximize opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists, ridesharing, transit and rail.

VNRC works to promote policies and programs that increase conservation and efficiency, expand renewable energy generation and foster greater public participation in conversations and solutions around energy and climate change. VNRC undertakes this work through the following initiatives:

• Energy Committees and VECAN — VNRC is a founding partner in the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network, a collaborative working to support the vital efforts of Vermont’s growing network of town energy committees.
• Energy Planning — VNRC promotes comprehensive, forward-looking planning — at the municipal and state level — as an underutilized strategy to meet our energy needs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by synchronizing land use, transportation, efficiency and renewable energy generation.
• Transportation-Energy-Land Use Connections — VNRC works with a growing and diverse network of citizens, policy makers, businesses and others to advance policies, practices and programs to expand alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle and more efficiently get people where they need to go.
• Education and Advocacy – VNRC works from the grassroots to the Legislature with our members, businesses, public officials, nonprofits and many others to develop reasonable, workable solutions to the energy and climate change challenges we face.