News That Affects You!
Many of the businesses that deliver fossil-based heating fuels (oil, propane, natural gas, and kerosene) in Vermont are small, mom & pop operations. Some, as describe by Matt Cota of the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association, are just one person “with a truck and a cell phone.” These companies exist on the margins of financial viability. The Read More…
Are you ready for the coming carbon tax on your home and business heating bill? The Vermont House is working at flank speed to enact the “Clean Heat Standard” (CHS) concocted by the Climate Action Network, and adopted by the Vermont Climate Council. Of course, none of the House backers will describe the CHS as Read More…
COVID-19 Concerns In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus, Governor Phil Scott activated the emergency operations center this week. While Vermont’s price-gouging law allows the Governor to declare a market emergency, that has not happened. In a press conference on Thursday, Attorney General TJ Donovan said his office has not heard of complaints about local companies Read More…
By Guy Page March 9, 2020 – The Vermont House Transportation Committee is shelving – for now – a plan to require Vermont employers to participate in “the statewide reduction in single-occupancy pleasure car trips.” Virtually all cars are defined by state law as “pleasure cars.” The aim of the legislation is to decrease the Read More…
* The Global Warming Solutions Act (H.688) recently passed the House on a strong vote of 105-37 and turns Vermont’s goals for carbon emission reductions into requirements. It requires the state to create a plan for meeting these targets and gives individuals a cause-of-action tool for court intervention if Vermont fails to develop or effectively Read More…
Troublemaker This past Friday, while waiting in the State House lobby, an influential state senator happened by and kiddingly called me a “troublemaker.” He was referencing my quote on the House floor the prior afternoon picked up by one of the media outlets in which I said “Do we really need a study committee to Read More…
A few days back I read an article written by Guy Page announcing the passage of H.688 the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) which was approved in the house by a vote of 105 to 37 and is most likely veto proof. In his article Guy further went on to say “If it becomes law, Read More…
Before the 2020 legislative session kicked off, proponents of the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) were calling the interstate agreement to raise prices of gasoline and diesel by as much as 17¢ a gallon their “banner” legislation for the new year. Now, just half way through January, the scheme is unravelling at a rapid pace. The Read More…
GWS Advances Legislation that opens the state of Vermont up to lawsuits if it doesn’t reduce carbon emissions passed by a vote of 105 to 37 on Thursday. The “Global Warming Solutions” proposal will spend just shy of a $1 million over the next two years designing a “Climate Action Plan.” The legislation mandates a reduction in greenhouse Read More…
February 21, 2020 – Yesterday the Vermont House of Representatives approved H688, the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), by a seemingly veto-proof margin of 105-37. If it becomes law, GWSA would require a 21-member Climate Cabinet to act aggressively to reduce carbon emissions. If it fails to meet target goals, GWSA gives lawyers the right Read More…
Well intentioned legislation can have unexpected, costly results. The current session of the Vermont Legislature features several sweeping environmental and land-use bills and proposals. Most notably are H.926 – Act 250: The Next 50 Years (Act 250 2.0), H.688 – the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) and PR.9 – Read More…
You can learn more about the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) at two final public hearings hosted by Vermont agency officials and regional planning commissions. TCI is a regional program that would establish a cap on global warming pollution from transportation fuels and invest millions annually to achieve additional benefits through reduced emissions, cleaner transportation, healthier communities, and more resilient infrastructure. Read More…
/One Vote Short This week the House of Representatives failed to override Governor Phil Scott’s veto of a paid family leave program. If it had just one more vote, the legislation would have created a payroll tax to fund a program that would allow up to 12 weeks of paid time off for illness or Read More…
February 7, 2020 – Supporters of the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) needn’t worry about the Legislature’s cool reception to the unpopular regional carbon tax. If H.688. the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), passes, the TCI will become inevitable. The GWSA says Vermont must meet stringent carbon emissions reduction goals. And must really means must. GWSA Read More…
It’s official: Vermont’s government has been usurped by elitist bureaucrats who have decided that Constitutions, and voting, are annoying impediments to their enlightened oversight. This is not an exaggeration. Bureaucratic agencies have swollen in costs (salaries) and powers in all areas of Vermonters’ lives: farms close, but the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Read More…
Over the past fifty years I have seen a lot of bills introduced into the Vermont legislature. Of all the bills over all those years, the absolute worst was just introduced in the House, with 87 co-sponsors (all Democratic and Progressive). It’s titled the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA, H.688). The Climate Action Coalition believes Read More…
