John Klar: The best climate change ‘warriors’ are Amish
In the United States, if any group properly stewards the land it is the Amish, who have always distrusted technology as a destroyer of family ties and culture.
Vermont climate caucus leaders discuss impact of pandemic on climate change policy
Safe to say the Legislature is only thinking COVID-19 right now. Too soon to say if or when that will change. The Senate plans to reconvene Tuesday but apparently only to address emergency climate change legislation passed a week ago Friday by the House.
John Klar: Weaving nets for the poor through net metering
Vermont has progressively implemented ambitious subsidization of net-metering programs. A March 4 hearing exposed the gross disparity and market perversion of this regulatory scheme.
Legislature considers candy tax; Miro and McCormack feud over idling enforcement
A disagreement between Mayor Miro Weinberger and Burlington Rep. Curt McCormack, D-Burlington, over enforcing the city and state idling laws erupted into an open argument in the State House on Tuesday.
Trash hauler raises rates to accommodate for recycling costs
A major trash hauler that serves Vermonters has issued a statement to customers saying it will have to raise rates in order to accommodate for the rising cost of recycling.
House committee mulls making employers reduce commuter traffic
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.”
Flemming: What Vermont’s lower emissions have cost us
So long as our emissions are inconsequential in the global scheme of things, we ought to feel more of an obligation to raise incomes rather than to reduce emissions.
Wisconsin-focused study says Green New Deal would ruin America’s dairyland
The Green New Deal calls for shifting energy consumption entirely to electric current. Doing so would cause $200 million in losses to Wisconsin farmers, while clobbering the state’s iconic dairy industry with $2.5 billion in additional costs.
McClaughry: Scrap the ‘common property’ amendment
Nine proposed constitutional amendments, some of them far reaching, have been introduced in the Vermont Senate. One in particular stands out as a mortal threat to fundamental Vermont principles. That is Proposal 9.
Bill would incorporate climate change into state’s emergency preparedness
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard testimony recently on a bill that would incorporate “climate change readiness” into state preparations for natural disasters such as hurricanes, extreme heat and floods.
Power utility says it must raise rates to compensate for green energy mandates
The electric co-op Washington Electric is proposing to raise its electric rates by 5.95 percent, and the utility estimates that at least 1.67 percent is due to net-metering solar installations.