Vermont Governor Critiqued on Renewable Energy

What the governor didn't make clear during the various pre-election photo opportunities was that the funding itself is unlikely to be renewed under his watch.

According to reporting by David Gram of the Associated Press (AP), the governor told onlookers at one of the press conferences that more than US$143,000 in renewable energy incentives were still available. It was later determined, however, that due to a "clerical error" there were no funds left for Vermonters.

The money originally came from fines collected by the state from oil companies found guilty of overcharging customers back in the '70s. Additional funds came from insurance rebates from the sale of the state's only nuclear reactor, Vermont Yankee.

Those funds are now gone and the Douglas administration has not made any promises on finding a way to replenish them. Further, the AP article cited an unnamed source within the renewable energy industry who said he had spoken with the administration and was told not to expect any future funding for the program. Douglas has also previously voiced his opposition to a statewide Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).

Renewable energy advocates in the state say these recent clarifications contrast sharply with other gubernatorial efforts in other states.

With a governor bullish on renewables, New York passed a strong RPS standard. Most recently, Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell helped broker a deal for the Spain-based Gamesa wind power company to locate their new U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.

"We are being left behind in the competition to attract new solar and wind manufacturing industry jobs and the Pennsylvania announcement shows it graphically," said Lawrence Mott, Chair of Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), a statewide renewable energy advocacy group. Mott also represents the Vermont-based Northern Power Systems. "Vermont should be talking with the clean energy industry and trying to make it a foundation for a new, sustainable Vermont economy."

David Blittersdorf, REV member and President of the Vermont-based NRG Systems, said his company makes world class wind measuring equipment and sells their product all around the world, except in his home state of Vermont.

"Vermont has a lot to offer other companies in our industry but it's not even in the game," Blittersdorf said.

REV specifically called on Gov. James Douglas and his main challenger, Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle, to pledge to support appropriately sited utility-scale wind projects in Vermont and commit to enacting renewable energy incentive programs and policies as other states have.

"The political leadership in Pennsylvania, and New York have embraced wind energy while Vermont has turned a cold shoulder," said Andrew Perchlik, executive director of REV. "Now we are seeing the fruits of those decisions. While wind has been stalled here since 1998, other states are moving forward, and they will get the jobs, tax benefits, and economic growth instead of us."