Vermonters Asked to Help Remake State’s Energy Plan

Got ideas about Vermont’s future? The State wants your input on the revision of the Comprehensive Energy Plan. This public process is an excellent opportunity to

environmentalists to ‘speak truth to power’ and help Vermont get on-track to a sustainable zero-carbon economy.

The State of Vermont’s Department of Public Service has begun a yearlong public engagement process to ask “what do you want?” This listening process is designed to find good ideas and policy. Next year, the Legislature will create actual laws based on the findings.

Like the excellent Farm-to-Plate process, this is government at it’s best: starting in low-gear by listening to people and crowd-sourcing best practices.

The second stake holder meeting on April 7th will focus on Transportation and Land-use, giving environmental advocates the chance to ask for bike lanes, carbon taxes, sustainable farming, legal hemp, and so forth.

Or you can also submit your comments on line to: ed.delhagen@state.vt.us

Both meetings will happen at Union University on a hilltop above Montpellier. The first stake holder meeting on March 23rd focused on Energy Supply and Renewable Energy. The crowd was a mix of energy company lobbyists, environmentalists and gov’t people. The discussion had a strong ‘hive-mind’ feeling, created by smart people talking a mutual language of energy and environment. And humanity’s energy plan will decide the fate of our collective survival, so there’s an electrostatic charge that comes from discussing the Most Important Thing.

The meeting was well-organized. Speakers gave brief presentations to introduce the subjects. A Green Mountain Power guy spoke from industry perspective. Joanna Miller from Vermont Natural Resource Council (VNRC) brought the environmental perspective.

Then we broke out into some fairly dynamic small-group discussion. The topic was interesting and there were a lot of smart people in the room. The discussion went well, partly because meeting organizers took time to present a powerpoint slide on “Working Agreements for the Day”: mutual respect, keep it brief, stay on topic. Good conversational council doesn’t happen automatically, it needs to be coaxed into existence by ‘rules of engagement.” Organizers need to tell people, “we invite all voices, but keep it brief!”

I encourage more environmentally minded folks come to the next meeting on April 7th. Joan Knight and I were the lone voices talking about the Climate Crisis. The day’s discussion reminded me that most people haven’t understood the seriousness of Climate Crisis. The conversation could have happened on different planet that wasn’t amidst a traumatic disturbance of planetary equilibrium. There was little talk of cutting carbon and of aiming for a zero-carbon society.

I was shocked to hear people talk politely about “natural gas from Shale.” To properly describe “natural gas”, we need dusty Old Testament language, so we can say “HYDRO-FRACKING IS AN ABOMINATION.” Hydro-fracking is deeply decadent, immoral, sinful and a crime against Creation. Hydrofracking makes oil companies rich and externalizes the costs on poor people in Pennsylvania whose water supply gets ruined. Hydrofracking is amoral Nazi-like technological prowess in service to the inhuman dissociative demon-logic of sociopathic corporations.

Hydro-fracking is a great environmental crime against the Earth and people. Hydro-fracking works by the explosion of the earth’s inner layers to release gas. The details are ugly and polluted. They pump water and chemicals into wells at great pressure. This cracks the rock and releases gas that gets siphoned off. Afterwards, the water rises up again after the pressure is released and brings up water filled with chemicals and radioactivity. Bad news. I hope Vermont passes laws that make “natural Shale gas” illegal. I intend to say this at the next meeting on April 7th.

Speaking of radioactivity, another thing I like about this process is that Governor Shumlin has made clear that the process will not include yes/no discussion of Vermont Yankee because the legislature has already decided to shut it down.

On April 7th, you come too and let’s get Vermont on the right track for energy. Or send your comments to: ed.delhagen@state.vt.us