Vermont Gets Failing Grade on Climate Change

Burlington, Vermont - November 28, 2007

A new report released Wednesday gives Vermont poor grades when it comes to statewide efforts to combat global warming. The Climate Change Action Report Card looks at policies and action in New England states and Eastern Canadian provinces. Leaders of those areas signed on to a Climate Change Action Plan in 2001, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gasses.

When it comes to overall effort, the report gives Vermont a "C".

James Moore of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group says Vermont has seen a lot of rhetoric when it comes to combating global warming, but hardly any real action.

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Toy recalls have customers checking labels

November 27, 2007

When shopping for toys for their two children, Aaron and Jen Dietz check the labels. If it's from China, they give it a closer look, check to see if it's been recalled.

"I never would have thought about it before," said Aaron Dietz, a former Vermonter now of Atlanta, who was strolling Church Street in Burlington on Monday with his family.

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Wireless phone monopoly a bad deal

November 25, 2007
By Sen. BERNARD SANDERS

Anyone who travels around Vermont knows the inadequacy of our cell phone coverage. Some towns have virtually no reception. Others have, at best, spotty coverage.

At a time when strong cell phone service is essential if our state is to be economically competitive nationally and internationally, it is imperative that every region of Vermont have coverage. At a time when more and more people (especially young people) are using cell phones as their only source of phone service and are able to take advantage of such benefits as free weekend and night calls, it is only fair that all Vermont communities have access to that service. No one doubts that quality broadband and cell phone service are as much a part of Vermont's future as electricity and land-line phones were in the years past.

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Shopping for Safe Toys

Williston, Vermont - November 23, 2007

Many parents out shopping on Black Friday for holiday gifts are worried about what they'll be putting under the tree this year. "The fact is, you're not going to know, unless the toy is tested," said VPIRG member Charity Carbine.

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Toy advocates urging parents to choose toys wisely

Friday November 23, 2007

Colchester, VT (Host) With the holiday shopping season upon us, consumer groups are urging parents to use caution when choosing toys this year. There were many high profile toy recalls this year. And the Vermont Public Interest Research Group's Charity Carbine says it's time to take legislative action.

(Carbine) "There is a silver lining, and that is that public attention, media attention to this issue has legislators poised to address these longstanding issues of the Consumer Product Safety Commission."

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Verizon tries to pave way for Unicel deal

November 22, 2007

Verizon Wireless has offered to divest Unicel's overlapping network in Vermont in hopes of winning government approval to acquire the smaller cellular phone company for $2.67 billion in cash and debt.

Verizon Wireless made its offer in a document asking the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider its decision to extend the comment period by 90 days on Verizon Wireless' proposed acquisition of Unicel. The original comment period ended Nov. 13. The extension was sought by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

"VPIRG bases its extension request on concerns about the potential effects on competition of a combination of Verizon Wireless and RCC (Unicel) in the state of Vermont," Verizon Wireless stated in its filing with the FCC. "However, since mid-September Verizon Wireless...

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Hold the phone: Feds urge scrutiny on Verizon-Unicel merger

November 21, 2007

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Three federal agencies say they want to check out the national security, law enforcement and public safety implications before Verizon Wireless is allowed to swallow up the Unicel cellular phone company in 15 states.

That message, contained in a letter sent earlier this month from the Department of Homeland Security to the Federal Communications Commission, represents one of several recent bumps in the road for a merger that also is drawing questions from some quarters on antitrust grounds.

Spokeswomen for Verizon and Homeland Security both called the review routine, and Verizon's Nancy Stark said the delay requested by the agencies was separate from that granted by the FCC at the request of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

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VPIRG cautions on toy hazards

November 21, 2007

MONTPELIER – A John Deere toy tractor, a Home Depot toy tool set and a Hello Kitty handbag are among the 60 children's products that landed on the Vermont Public Interest Group's list of potentially dangerous toys this year.

This is the 22nd year that the Montpelier-based advocacy organization has issued a report on unsafe toys days before the biggest shopping weekend of the year, and this year's list features some well-known names and faces.

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Local group wary of contaminated toys

Wednesday, November 21

BRATTLEBORO -- With the release of its 22nd annual toy safety survey Tuesday, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group identified a number of hazards facing families shopping for holiday presents and pushed for policy changes to improve consumer safety.

"The opportunity is ripe for action given all the public outrage and media attention focused on this issue," said Charity Carbine, VPIRG's environmental health advocate. "I think the state of Vermont should be a leader on this issue."

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Governor's Strategy to Combat Climate Change

Burlington, Vermont - November 20, 2007

"I'm pleased to announce that the state will partner with the (University of Vermont) and other higher education institutions to form the Vermont Climate Collaborative," said Gov. Jim Douglas, R-Vermont.

Douglas says partnering with UVM and other colleges will spawn research into renewable energy sources, and help the state create an entire economic sector based on green jobs.

But many listening to the Governor's announcement criticize the plan for lacking solid, attainable goals.

James Moore of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group called the proposal nothing but "hot air."

"You have to earn those carbon credits and there was nothing today proposed that's actually going to allow the state to earn carbon credits," said Moore.

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Gov. Douglas Plans to fight Climate Change

November 20, 2007

Gov. Douglas announced his plans regarding climate change.

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Douglas's climate change proposal panned by environmentalists

Tuesday November 20, 2007

Colchester, VT (Host) Vermont absorbs so much carbon that Governor Douglas says we should sell "carbon credits." He says Vermont could make money by selling the credits to industries that pollute. But as VPR's Ross Sneyd reports, some environmental advocates say it's a vague response to climate change.

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VPIRG joins national warning about dangerous toys

November 20, 2007



MONTPELIER (AP) — The Vermont Public Interest Research Group on Tuesday issued its annual pre-holiday warning about children’s toys, saying too many of them contain lead, powerful magnets or present choking hazards.



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HOLIDAY SHOPPING WARNING

November 20, 2007

Report finds that some toys contain chemicals that are harmful to small children

To watch this video, click here and scroll down to the "Holiday Shopping Warning" tab.

FCC will hear more comments on wireless deal

November 16, 2007

The Federal Communications Commission agreed to push the comment period deadline back three months on the proposed sale of Unicel to Verizon Wireless to allow more people to voice thoughts about the buyout.

Paul Burns, executive director of VPIRG, called the extension "a small but important victory."

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FCC extends sale of Unicel

Thursday, November 15

BENNINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has extended by three months the filing period for people to submit opinions about the proposed sale of Unicel to Verizon Wireless, a sale that has caused concern with some officials.

VPIRG Executive Director Paul Burns said the FCC's decision was a positive step, but said the group will now focus its attention on preventing the deal unless specific conditions are imposed.

"This is a small but important victory that demonstrates that consumers can win even against corporate giants like Verizon Wireless," Burns said Wednesday. "Now we must demand that federal regulators deny this merger or include enforceable conditions to prevent consumers from being significantly harmed by the deal."

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Document questions safety of Vermont Yankee

Thursday, November 15

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group and the Citizen’s Awareness Network released a document Thursday at the Pilgrim Plant in Plymouth, Mass. The document questions the safety of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant and a new plan to manage safety operations at both Yankee and Pilgrim. NECN’s Anya Huneke has the latest.

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Massachusetts nuke workers question Vermont Yankee operation

November 15, 2007

MONTPELIER (AP)- Vermont Public Interest Research Group released a document Thursday that shows workers at a Massachusetts nuclear plant don't want to be associated with the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant because of concerns about how it is run.

Meanwhile, the Douglas administration has joined the state's congressional delegation in calling for an independent safety assessment of the Vernon reactor.

VPIRG's clean energy advocate, James Moore, said he discovered the two-month old document while searching through files of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

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Strange Bedfellows?

FREYNE LAND

Monday, November 05, 2007

Yes, that is Lake Champlain Chamber Prez "Tommy Guns" Tom Torti on the far left; Ol' Bernardo, a.k.a Bernie Sanders, the only socialist senator America's got; former U.S. Navy submarine captain and Democratic State Rep. Al Perry from Richford; and "Save the Environment" Paul Burns, VPIRG's "Top Gun."

All on the same side on this one!

They want the Bush Administration to force Verizon Wireless to, among other things, provide 100-percent geographic cell phone coverage in Vermont when their purchase of Unicel inevitably goes down (Most likely next month.)

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Sanders objects to Verizon Wireless' plan to buy Unicel

Monday November 5, 2007

(Dillon) Verizon announced in July that it wants to acquire Unicel, a smaller company that serves mainly rural areas in Vermont and 14 other states.

Sanders says the $2.7 billion deal will effectively create a monopoly for Verizon.

Tom Torti is president of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce. He says the state's tourism industry could suffer if Verizon creates a cell service monopoly.

Sharing Torti's concern is Paul Burns, the executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

(Burns) "It's critical that we not allow large areas of this state to be left out when it comes to services that most people have come to expect and to rely on everyday."

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Vermonters talk energy

November 5, 2007

BURLINGTON -- For legislators in Vermont, it's not so easy being green.

Vermont has the lowest carbon footprint and one of the most aggressive energy efficiency programs in the nation, and more than two-thirds of the state's electricity comes from contracts with the Entergy-owned Vermont Yankee nuclear plant and Hydro-Quebec in Canada. Those contracts are set to expire -- in 2012 and 2015, respectively -- leaving Vermont's energy future wide open for consideration.

Rep. Robert Dostis, D-Waterbury, chairman of the Natural Resources and Energy Committee and a member of the Joint Energy Committee, said legislation passed last year directed the Public Service Department to develop a public engagement process regarding Vermont's energy future, to encourage Vermonters to examine and make recommendations on ways to meet Vermont's electricity options over the next five to 10 years.

That's why more than 200 Vermonters gathered this weekend on the campus of the University of Vermont to participate in the state-sponsored Deliberative Polling Event on Vermont's Energy Future, the culmination of a series of workshops designed to educate the public about energy in Vermont. Combined, the studies constitute the largest energy sampling ever conducted in the United States, said Stephen Wark, consumer affairs director for the Public Service Department.

"Public policy here in Vermont does drive the marketplace," added James Moore, clean energy advocate for the nonprofit Vermont Public Interest Research Group. "And they're paying attention to what you all think."

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Sanders Questions Verizon, Unicel Deal

Burlington, Vermont - November 5, 2007

After meeting with Verizon representatives in Washington D.C. last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking it to reject the deal, unless Verizon agrees to four conditions:

- Commit to 100% geographic coverage in the state.
- Maintain, upgrade, and expand the GSM technology currently used by Unicel.
- Provide a free phone exchange for current Unicel customers.
- Provide reasonable roaming rates for customers with other carriers.

Sanders is being backed by groups like VPIRG, and the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce. He's also asking Vermonters to write or call the FCC to express their concerns.

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Aging nuclear plant raises questions about life without it

November 4, 2007

MONTPELIER — A cooling tower that collapsed suddenly, leaving a pipe pouring thousands of gallons of water on a pile of rubble. An unplanned shutdown caused by a stuck valve nine days later. A scheduled retirement looming.

Taken together, the recent problems at Vermont Yankee nuclear plant have some wondering: Where would Vermont be without Vermont Yankee?

"For the average Vermonter, little to nothing would change," said James Moore, energy advocate with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. "It shuts down on a regular basis, both planned and unplanned outages, and our lights don't go out."

Moore and other Vermont Yankee critics point to this month's report from the Governor's Commission on Climate Change, which said that aggressive deployment of renewable generation could save almost as much in carbon emissions as Vermont Yankee does.

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Car Pools Take Off

November 5, 2007

On any given weekday afternoon in Burlington’s Hill Section, a long line of motorists will edge, inch by inch, toward a parking lot exit. Most of those commuters are alone in their cars.

At the shift change at Fletcher Allen Health Care, a more lively procession parallels this paralysis: Dozens of carpoolers swoop through the drop-off and pick-up circle in an impromptu choreography.

Carpoolers share a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Their concerns are well-founded: A 2005 study by the Montpelier-based Vermont Public Interest Research and Education Fund calculated that the 8 percent of Vermont’s car commuters who travel more than 20 miles to work generate roughly a quarter of the state’s commuting-related carbon dioxide emissions.

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Scores rally for action on climate change

November 5, 2007

MONTPELIER — Scores of people gathered on the Statehouse steps Saturday to push for local solutions to climate change caused by global warming and urged the Douglas administration to do more.

As a band played, people ate apple pie and ice cream, and some waved flags promoting what they say was the need to do more to stop global warming.

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Sanders votes against global warming bill

November 2, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Bernie Sanders voted Thursday to oppose a sweeping global warming bill because he does not believe it is strong enough to prevent catastrophic climate change by the middle of this century.

"This bill is in fact a step forward, but we have a very long way to go to produce a bill that will truly reduce global warming and reflect what the scientific community tells us needs to be done," the independent senator said after the vote by a key Senate panel.

Sanders' vote to oppose the bill drew praise from the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

"Senators Lieberman and Warner deserve credit for pushing action on global warming, but Vermont's Senator Bernie Sanders deserves the highest praise for not supporting the bill, which does more to support corporate welfare than it does to reduce global warming pollution," the group said in a written statement Thursday.

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Senate to Mother Earth: Sorry, Mom

Seven Days Blogs: Freyne Land
Thursday, November 01, 2007

Word from Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' office that the subcommittee Ol' Bernardo sits on on the Environment and Public Works Committee that handles global warming approved on a 4-3 vote today "a global warming bill that Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) opposed because it would not reduce emissions of greenhouse gases as much as scientists say is necessary to stop catastrophic changes in Earth’s climate.

As Paul Burns over at the Vermont Public Interest Research Group pointed out to yours truly, "Bernie actually proposed nine different amendments to strengthen the bill, one of which was accepted. Most of the others were defeated 5-2 or on a voice vote. It's really true that no one in the Senate (perhaps the US gov't) is doing more than Bernie Sanders to fight global warming."

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Sanders votes against global warming bill

Thursday November 1, 2007
Colchester, VT

(Host) Senator Bernie Sanders has voted against a global warming bill - and environmental leaders are praising him.

Both the senator and the environmentalists say the bill doesn't go nearly far enough.

Sanders says the version that was approved by a subcommittee of the Senate's environmental panel would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by no more than 63% over the next 40 years.
He held out for legislation that would have reduced the heat-trapping emissions by 80% by 2050.

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group supports Sanders' position. James Moore is VPIRG's clean energy advocate. He says industry would get too much from the bill and consumers wouldn't get enough.

(Moore) "It's a half measure that gives too much money to existing fossil fuel industries like the oil companies and the coal companies, who are making record profits as is and certainly shouldn't be benefiting...

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