Climate panel submits report

October 27, 2007

MONTPELIER — The commission charged with finding how the state should reduce its contribution to global climate change — and profit from concerns worldwide about the issue — released its final report Friday calling for more energy efficiency, renewable energy development and the creation of an alliance between the state, nonprofit groups and Vermont's colleges and universities.

The commission called in its report for the expansion of the efficiency efforts begun by the state's electrical efficiency program to other fuels, and for more renewable energy to be developed in the state.

That means commercial scale wind power, the cheapest way to develop such projects within Vermont's borders, said James Moore of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

"You have got to have wind in Vermont as part of our electricity future," said Moore, who added that the report "comes on the same day as oil prices hit a new record high and Vermonters are turning on their furnaces for the winter."

Read full article