Getting serious about climate change means getting serious about our gas use. It means all of us working together to build a clean energy future that doesn’t require the expensive and polluting buildout of more fracked gas. We don’t need it. And we can’t afford it.
Vermont’s legislature hit the ground running this year. Lawmakers are taking up critical bills to tackle climate change – bills that put the state on a path to slash polluting emissions while making sure rural communities and hardworking Vermonters prosper.
While Vermont has made strides advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy, we are falling behind in reducing toxic climate pollution from burning fossil fuels in our cars and homes. Passing the Vermont Global Warming Solutions Act will change that, putting us back on track to cutting our emissions and securing a brighter future.
Fracked gas was once considered part of a lower-carbon future. But this volatile, dangerous, and polluting fossil fuel now needs to be shown the door. Thankfully, as New England’s growing investment in cleaner energy ramps up, this transition is becoming easier. But standing in its way are the last gasps of the dirty fossil fuel industry. And they are not going quietly.
Getting serious about tackling the climate crisis means getting around without burning fossil fuels. Unfortunately, most cars and trucks still run on gasoline, which pollutes both our air and our climate. In fact in New England, the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses accounts for more than a third of our climate-damaging emissions. This needs to change. Vermont needs to put at least 50,000 electric cars and trucks on the road by 2025 to meet the goals set forth in the State’s energy plan. With only around 3,000 on the road right now, we are far from on track to get there.
Vermont students flooded the Statehouse this month to speak to legislators about the dire need to take bold action to address climate change. Their pleas and passion were welcomed by many new climate champions that joined the Vermont Legislature this year. As the Trump administration scorns its responsibility to tackle climate change, state and local… Continue reading To Fight Climate Change, Vermont Needs Strong Climate Laws
You know that sinking feeling? The one where you think you’ve done a good job, but it turns out you didn’t? That’s the boat Vermont finds itself in when it comes to tackling climate change. We thought we were leading. But in fact, we are falling behind on our climate goals. Vermont’s climate-damaging emissions are… Continue reading New England Can’t Fall Behind on Climate
When Representative Carlos Curbelo proposed a price on carbon recently, he garnered a lot of attention among energy hawks, and not just because he is a Republican. The Trump administration has been busy scrubbing all references to human-caused climate change from its policies – and instead pushing hard to deepen our addiction to coal, oil,… Continue reading Federal Proposal to Price Carbon Should be Considered, then Rejected
In the realm of energy and climate change, this year’s legislative session was a big yawn. Legislators took some baby steps towards progress at a time when big leaps are needed. But all journeys begin with a single step, so these modest actions can set the stage for the hard work ahead. While it’s good… Continue reading Vermont Sets the Stage for Climate Action
Vermonters are the losers in a recent agreement aimed to sweeten the deal for the sale of Entergy’s shuttered Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Slick talk and empty promises prevailed. In a rush to secure a possible – and by no means certain – quick clean-up of the site, the agreement short-changes Vermont communities. Entergy… Continue reading Vermont Yankee Sale: A Raw Deal for Vermonters
