Public Policy Detail

VBSR Energy, Transportation and Environment Committee
Recommended next steps for 2008 legislative session and public policy advocacy.

VBSR will work with our members, colleagues, legislators, and the Administration to ensure that our energy and climate change public policy objectives are realized. We identify here specific public policy directions to pursue that the committee determined to be effective and feasible.  

Many of these recommendations will require financial investment from the public sector. This investment will see returns by way of reduced expenditures for electricity, home, and motor fuels over the long term, and in the creation of “green economy” business clusters and well paying jobs. Public sector investment will also attract other private sector financial investment.  

We support the use of carbon taxes, as a funding source which also provides an incentive for conservation and efficiency. We also believe in the need to offset the regressive nature of such a fee with associated income tax credits or refunds for those with less ability to pay. The use of “feed-in tariffs” as a funding option should also be explored to provide financial incentives for the development of local renewable energy.

Vermont businesses need reliable energy service and predictable energy prices.  We require immediate action to move away from polluting and unsustainable energy sources. We must invest now in cleaner, safer, and renewable energy and in energy conservation. Twenty years from now we must be in control of our energy options instead of restricted, as we are today, to unsatisfactory choices. There is need for immediate leadership and action toward this goal. We believe smart planning and entrepreneurship, citizen and business action, and bold political leadership are necessary to effectuate this change.

Success will be measured if significant progress is made on the following:

• Establish an aggressive Vermont energy conservation goal.
• Expand efficiency services to include all-fuels (in addition to electricity).
• Increase the availability and use of public transportation by:

1. Improving land-use planning and “smart growth” to facilitate biking, walking, and use of public transportation.
2. Creating a Statewide Public Transportation Authority (or other proven delivery model) to ensure inter-modal efficiency and implementation of 50-year transportation plan.
3. Requiring that energy use and climate change impact be evaluated as part of all VTrans planning activities.
4. Increasing state employee use of public transportation by providing financial incentives such as bus pass reimbursement.

• Ensure energy efficient buildings through regulatory and financial incentives. Including density bonuses, regulatory streamlining, reducing appraisal value by energy efficiency investment, and financing incentives. All public buildings and publicly financed buildings to meet strict energy standards including VEDA and VEPC projects, public schools, and section 8 housing.

• Establish a Vermont renewable energy goal of 25% of energy use by 2025.
• Provide the Vermont Public Service Board with the necessary powers and resources to maximize the development of in-state renewable energy. Create a 50-year energy plan that maximizes the transition to renewable energy sources.
• Create a meaningful renewable energy development regulatory and financial incentive package. This includes increased caps for net metering, streamlined renewable energy permitting, fair and stable tax rates for renewable energy developers, meaningful tax credits/rebates for energy users who invest in renewable energy systems, and property appraisals tied to the value of the property not the cost of renewable energy investment.  Alternative funding for the development of in-state renewable energy should be pursued (e.g state pension fund investment).
• Ensure energy sources are fully evaluated for environmental and safety externalities and true costs are identified.

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