Global Warming bill passes Senate

Many of you have joined us this year in advocating for legislation that addresses global warming. VPIRG members packed town halls and church basements at the start of the session, called and emailed Senators and House reps literally thousands of times, and marched in Step It Up Rallies demanding action, not just talk, to avert climate disaster.

Now, after months of action your work is finally paying off: Yesterday the Senate voted to pass H.520, the omnibus energy and climate act (more info below) by a razor thin margin. I was there for the last minute wrangling before key procedural votes Tuesday and Wednesday and can attest to the reports that virtually every corporate lobbyist in the State House is working to kill the bill, which is the only legislation still moving that will help stop global warming.

On Tuesday, Entergy and the Governor fought hard all morning to line up votes to kill the bill. They very nearly succeeded. A morning vote was postponed, and VPIRG staff worked the phones to get calls in to wavering Senators form our members in their districts. By 3:30, we knew we were making progress, but also that the vote was very close. By 7:00 that night, after several hours of debate the Senate voted by the thinnest of margins: 15-14 to keep the bills funding intact and later sent it to a third and final reading.

We thought we were out of the woods, and sent an email alert to our members encouraging them to contact their House representatives, where a close vote is expected soon once a conference committee works through a few remaining details.

But Sen. Racine of Chittenden County considered introducing another amendment to cut H.520’s funding by 95%. So VPIRG was back on the phone Wednesday morning too, calling a handful of members in Chittenden, Franklin and Windsor counties to ask them to contact your Senators in the moments before they took the floor to vote. It was a tense and fast-paced morning, but our work paid off a second time: Sen. Racine withdrew his amendment. And when a similar Sen. Mullin of Rutland offered a similar amendment, many of the same Senators members had called voted correctly, and kept the funding for S.94 intact.

All eyes are now turning to the House, where our opponents will spare no expense following their loss in the Senate. Your voice is needed! A close vote is expected as early as next week. It is essential that every member of the House hear from constituents that global warming is a must-pass issue this session.

You can help by contacting your House Representative(s) through the Sargent at Arms office 802-828-2228, or VPIRG’s website. We also need help calling lists of VPIRG members across the state, only about 10% of our members are on our email list, and we need to reach more of you than ever before on this important bill. Contact me at 223-8421 x4787 or drew@vpirg.org if you’re interested in volunteering one or more hours in the next 10 days to help pass the most aggressive climate legislation in the country.

Yours in action,
Drew Hudson
VPIRG Director of Field and Communications.

More info
• Allows Efficiency Vermont to help Vermonters save money and stop global warming by using less heating fuel as well as electricity;
• Funds the expanded Efficiency Vermont with a tax on Vermont Yankee’s windfall profits;
• Requires that our utilities purchase 20-25% of our electricity from renewable generators by 2012;
• Helps Vermonter’s install small wind, solar and other renewables to lower their electric bills and Vermont’s global warming emissions;
• Supports the development of wind farms in Vermont by guaranteeing them a fair tax rate;
• Gives incentives for individuals and businesses to develop larger solar power systems;
• And more…