Gov.’s plan far more costly than the RES
by Marisa D. Keller, 350Vermont Communications Team volunteer
Gov. Scott says that he vetoed H.289, the Renewable Energy Standard, because of the cost—as though we can afford not to invest heavily in new local and regional renewable energy.
H. 289 is the result of a historic agreement between Vermont’s utilities, who have long resisted significant steps toward renewables, and climate and environmental groups, representing all of us who understand just how critical this moment is, and how steep the future cost will be for today’s children and their children if we let short-sightedness keep us from acting now.
There’s no need for Vermont ratepayers to shoulder unaffordable costs, either—the legislature has instructed the Public Utility Commission to assess the need for a statewide ratepayer protection program to ensure that everyone can afford their electricity bills. There’s also more Federal money available now than ever to support our transition to renewable energy. And Vermont’s new Climate Superfund Act aims to get restitution from those most responsible for this crisis: the fossil-fuel companies who have reaped vast profits from destabilizing the climate.
The hottest 12 months in recorded weather history were the past 12 months. Our towns have flooded, our farmers are struggling, our snow-related economies are in jeopardy. We need to stop burning things yesterday, and we need to set ourselves up with renewable, reliable, local energy economies instead of giving up $2 billion a year to enrich giant fossil-fuel corporations.
Scott’s alternate plan might pretend to be cheaper, but it takes us farther from the clean, resilient energy grid we need.
Gov. Scott’s plan would:
bring 1/3 less new renewables online in the next decade compared to H. 289, with no new renewables required at all after 2035
slash the solar net metering program that compensates homeowners and communities for the solar power they contribute to the grid
allow additional energy from problematic sources like large hydro (methane-emitting and drying up as the climate changes), biomass (high-emissions and high-pollution), and nuclear (not renewable or safe)
The Renewable Energy Standard would:
double the amount of in-state renewables
increase the overall renewables requirement from 75% to 100%
restrict or move away from new biomass and large hydro
Fortunately, we still have a chance to take this major step forward with a legislative override on June 17. I hope our legislators realize that a vote against the RES is a vote against a safe and affordable future, while a vote for the RES is a historic win that will safeguard Vermonters for generations to come.
