Advocates hope to increase Catamount enrollment

August 30, 2007

BRATTLEBORO -- If you don't have health insurance, expect a knock at your door soon.

The fear of some health care reform activists is that Vermont's new Catamount Health program will fail because people don't know about it or are intimidated by the enrollment process, so citizen advocates from the Vermont Campaign for Health Care Security Education Fund will be fanning out across the state to explain the program and help get those eligible enrolled.

"What we are doing with Catamount is way ahead of the rest of the nation," said Peter Sterling, the coordinator for the Vermont Campaign for Health Care Security, which is working with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group to get the word out.

Read full article

VY tower collapse leads to calls for further safety review

Tuesday, August 28

BRATTLEBORO -- A press release from unions representing nuclear power plant workers at Vermont Yankee and Pilgrim Station has prompted one local anti-nuclear group to request an independent safety assessment of the nuclear power plant in Vernon.

"There are serious issues of public safety surrounding the Vermont Yankee dispute," wrote Gary Sullivan, president of Utility Workers Union of America Local 369, which represents workers at Entergy's Pilgrim power plant in Plymouth, Mass., in a press release dated Aug. 23. "We cannot allow one bad corporate apple and corporate greed to create a global risk."

"What is very clear from the union's press release is that there are safety concerns at Vermont Yankee that have not made it out to the public," said James Moore, clean energy advocate for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. "We would hope that the employees have public safety first and foremost in their minds, but we have serious concerns that Entergy Corporation is cutting corners to increase their profits, potentially at the risk of millions of people who live in the area surrounding Vermont Yankee."

Read full article

Vermont can prevent lead in toys

By Charity Carbine, VPIRG Environmental Health Advocate
August 26, 2007

In its second embarrassment in the last several weeks, Mattel announced the recall of more than 9 million toys in the United States that were discovered to pose health dangers to children. Among these Chinese-manufactured items were 253,000 Disney-Pixar "Sarge" cars found to have lead levels that exceed the federal limit.

This is the latest in a series of fumbles by the toy industry that has parents and consumer watchdogs wondering what, if anything, is being done to protect our children from this toxic exposure?

Read full article

Officials rule out Yankee sabotage

Aug 24, 2007

VERNON — A special investigator with the Homeland Security division of the Vermont State Police went to Vermont Yankee earlier this week and ruled out sabotage or terrorism in the unexpected collapse of a portion of the plant's cooling towers.

Kerry Sleeper, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, said the state also wanted an "independent assessment" about the basic facts of the collapse. Sleeper said he had conferred with Gov. James Douglas' office before sending in the special investigator.

Read full article

Nuclear plant damage is worse than reported

August 24, 2007

A cooling tower structure at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant that partially collapsed Tuesday underwent a full inspection as recently as this spring and was found to be in good condition, a company spokesman said Thursday.

"It was determined acceptable for continued operation," said Rob Williams, spokesman for plant owner Entergy Nuclear.

Read full article

Vt. Yankee problem to hurt rate payers

August 23, 2007

MONTPELIER — The failure of a cooling tower at Vermont Yankee nuclear plant could mean higher electricity bills for consumers, officials said Wednesday.

Central Vermont Public Service Corp. and Green Mountain Power Corp., the two biggest buyers of Vermont Yankee power, said it was too early to know if they will seek rate hikes to compensate for having to buy power from other, more expensive sources because of the Vermont Yankee problem.

"Vermont Yankee telling us that the plant is running like new is like a hair dresser telling you that you look twenty years younger. It's nice to hear, but far from the truth," said James Moore, energy advocate for Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

Read full article

It's time to sign up for health care

August 23, 2007

It seems that too many of us have the high price of health care on our minds.

In Vermont more than 60,000 of our friends, co-workers and neighbors are currently uninsured. Here in Rutland County, more than 5,600 people do not have health insurance. Thousands more of our neighbors throughout Vermont have insurance, but can only afford high $2,000, $5,000 and even $10,000 deductible "catastrophic" plans, many of which offer no hospitalization or primary care coverage. Of those who qualify for VHAP or other Vermont Medicaid programs, roughly 51 percent have not taken advantage of this coverage.

To help Vermonters enroll in Catamount Health and Vermont's Medicaid programs, AARP Vermont, the Vermont National Education Association, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group and the Vermont Citizens Campaign for Health joined together to form a new group called the Vermont Campaign for Health Care Security Education Fund. The fund's primary purpose is to work toward the goal of assisting all eligible Vermonters to enroll in one of the state health care programs, be it Catamount Health, Medicaid, or VHAP.

Read full article

Wind turbine OK brings hope in Vt

August 20, 2007

BURLINGTON (AP) — State regulators' approval of 16 wind turbines in Sheffield has dispelled some developers' worries that no big wind turbines would be approved on the state's mountaintops and offered a guide through the state's review process.

"The order sets a really high bar for developers to meet, but it lays out all the hoops you need to jump through," said James Moore, a renewable energy advocate for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

Read full article

The Way to Wind

August 19, 2007

When the state Public Service Board granted permission this month for 16 big wind turbines atop a ridge in Sheffield, the three regulators did more than approve Vermont's first commercial wind development in 10 years.

They also dispelled some developers' fear that no mountaintop project involving 400-foot-tall structures could ever win a permit."The order sets a really high bar for developers to meet, but it lays out all the hoops you need to jump through," said James Moore, clean-energy advocate for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

The decision came as a relief to Moore and other renewable-energy advocates.

Moore, the VPIRG advocate, and Andrew Perchlik at the Renewable Energy Vermont advocacy group say wind development faces another challenge.

UPC won a permit, but one that came with 32 conditions after many years and large expense. That's too long, too expensive, too arduous, the advocates said, and is likely to encourage big projects built by out-of-state companies. Local entrepreneurs and Vermont towns interested in a little energy independence might be shut out, they said.

Read full article

Wind Project Approved

August 8, 2007

UPC Wind plans to start building 16 towers next summer in Sheffield. They will each be around 420 feet tall and provide enough energy to serve over 15-thousand homes.

"We are really pleased that the Public Service Board has recognized the economic and environmental benefits of wind power to Vermonters," said Matt Kearns with UPC Wind.

The road to approval has been rocky and emotional. Opponents remain worried about noise, and the visual impacts.

"We've seen wind projects permitted in New Hampshire, Maine. Vermont is now catching up and getting on that band wagon. I think we will see more clean generation, more wind power come on lin here in Vermont over the next decade," said James Moore with the Vt. Public Interest Research Group.

Read full article

Slow sailing for Huntington wind turbine

August 1, 2007

HUNTINGTON -- The wind tower, measured at arm's length, barely holds up to a pinky fingernail. That's from downtown Huntington.

From its base, the lattice tower sails up 120 feet, roughly twice as tall as the surrounding tree canopy. Three anemometers, mini-windmills that measure wind speed, spin out encouraging data: This is a good spot for a modest, 6-kilowatt turbine.

All it needs is blades and the blessings of its neighbors.

"Most people living around here don't even know the tower's here," said Melissa Hoffman, who directs the Living Future Foundation, an organization that oversees sustainability projects at the 1,300-acre former Teal Farm. "They ask, 'When are you going to put it up?'"

Read full article

New low-level herbicide proposed for weed killing

July 31, 2007

Tonto National Forest is proposing to use what they call relatively low-level herbicide sprays to remove weeds.

The Forest Service said it plans to use chemicals such as chlorsulfuron, and a list of others they said are relatively nontoxic, to try and get rid of some of the weeds which can be harmful to native and other plant species and are growing along highways and roads in Gila County and in Tonto National Forest.

A report from the Vermont Public Interest Research Group said the chemical can be harmful to animals, humans and the environment.The report said that chlorsulfuron is in a class of chemicals labeled sulfonyl ureas, or SU's.

Read full article