Give the People What They Want!

Three down and two to go and the will of Vermont has never been so clear. More than a hundred residents came out to the Montpelier Elks Club last night for the third in a series of DPS forums designed to gauge public opinion on Vermont’s energy future. The clear sentiment – Vermonters want wind and renewables, not nuclear and fossil fuels!

Those in attendance ranked coal, oil, and nuclear power among the three bottom choices for Vermont’s future energy mix. The top three choices - you guessed it – energy efficiency, wind, and hydro.

Other noteworthy findings include the following:

• 97% wanted to see Vermont increase energy from renewables;
• 70% strongly agreed that Vermont should require that a minimum of electricity sold should come from renewables;
• 78% would strongly support a wind farm even if it were visible from where they lived;
• 81% thought that over the next 10 years Vermont should increase efficiency spending;
• And voters were most “extremely concerned” about radioactive waste and greenhouse gases.

This forum was a great exercise in democracy. Give the people a voice and they’ll make thoughtful decisions. Let’s just hope that our leaders and the DPS take the wants of Vermonters seriously!

To sign up for the last two hearings, click here.

By Charity Carbine, VPIRG Environmental Health Advocate