Climate & Energy

Clean Heat Report

Clean Heat: Comfortable Homes, Affordable Future examines the energy fuel sources we use for heating. Clean Heat focuses on Vermont’s thermal fuel mix, inclusive of residential, commercial and industrial uses, and lays out the path Vermont can take to nearly eliminate fossil fuels by 2031.  With “thermal energy” posed to be at the top of …

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Apt Reading: When It Rains, It Pours

We wanted to make sure you didn’t miss Environment America’s report, When It Rains, It Pours, (downloadable below) when we released it at the end of July.  With Hurricane Sandy already hitting communities across the eastern seaboard and heading north, we thought folks might find this interesting reading (perhaps by candlelight when the power goes …

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VPIRG’s Leah Marsters reflects on her tour of Sheffield

Vermonters’ overwhelming support for clean energy, and wind in particular, is threatening to a handful of opposition groups bent on dismantling our state’s commitment to take responsibility for generating our own energy.  With the media choosing largely to focus on covering the fear and controversy wind opponents have successfully drummed up, it’s probably tough to …

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VPIRG Statement on Entergy’s latest lawsuit against Vermont

For Immediate Release: 9/12/12 Given Entergy’s track record, it’s not a surprise that it would rather spend its money on high-priced lawyers than pay its fair share to the people of Vermont.  That’s what this lawsuit is all about.  And the fact is, Entergy is still only being asked to cough up a fraction of …

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VPIRG Releases 2011-2012 Legislative Scorecard

  The Vermont Public Interest Research Group released its 2011-2012 Legislative Scorecard on public interest issues today. As the state’s largest consumer and environmental advocacy organization, VPIRG is involved in a broad range of policy debates in Montpelier, from health care reform to banning fracking. The 2011-2012 Legislative Scorecard tracks votes on clean energy, health care, consumer protection, …

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Montpelier’s District Heat Project is a Go!

Montpelier’s City Council voted 5-1 in favor of the District Heat project.  The vote cast in special session reversed the previous week’s 4-2 council vote to halt the project.  Following a week of intensive negotiations between the city and state and a tremendous outpouring of public support, VPIRG is delighted to see the project moving …

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Thank You Summer 2012 Interns!

VPIRG summer interns worked hard on research, grassroots organizing and more.  We extend a huge THANK YOU to these five dedicated, smart members of the team.  Click the links below to learn their stories. Clean Energy Intern – Brian Buckley Brian Buckley is one of two clean energy interns working with VPIRG.  A bona fide …

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Montpelier Residents Rally in Support of District Heat Project

Dozens turn out in lead up to special City Council session For Immediate Release: August 29, 2012 MONTPELIER, VT—Less than a week after a majority of the Montpelier City Council rejected a long-planned upgrade to a wood fired boiler run by the state that would pump heat to municipal buildings and local businesses, dozens of …

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Montpelier District Heat Project Resources

On Wednesday, August 22nd, Montpelier’s City Council voted 4-2 to halt a decade’s worth of progress on a district heating project.   While the vote is disappointing, the mayor convened a special session a week later, where, following a updates to the plan and an outpouring of public support, the councilor reversed it’s earlier decision …

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Video Now Available: Smart Meter/Smart Grid Press Conference

On Monday, August 20th, VPIRG joined Senator Bernie Sanders and other environmental groups to celebrate Vermont’s transition to the smart grid.  Check out video footage from the press conference, made available courtesy of CCTV and Channel 17: VPIRG’s policy position statement on Smart Meters and the Smart Grid is available online here. Following the press …

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