Energize Vermont applauds Governor Phil Scott for vetoing H.688, the Global Warming "Solutions" Act

Energize Vermont applauds Governor Phil Scott for vetoing H.688, the Global Warming Solutions Act.

Far from offering a solution to global warming, the bill would exacerbate the impacts of climate change on Vermont.

That is because the bill includes hard targets for reductions of carbon emissions from selected sources and establishes only aspirational goals for other types of critical climate action. Furthermore, the bill completely ignores emissions from some sources.

Energy developers will seize upon the bill’s targets to justify high-impact projects that damage the environment and degrade our defenses against climate impacts in exchange for meager emissions reductions.

The bill gambles with taxpayer money because the Legislature does not know if the targets are achievable or how they might be met. A large, unwieldy council will be tasked with developing a plan to meet the targets while balancing a number of additional conflicting goals.

If the council cannot develop a plan or if the plan doesn’t work, then “any person” can sue the state. The state will not only have to pay to defend itself—it will also pay the legal fees of “any person” who sues us.

The Conservation Law Foundation used a similar law to sue the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As a result, Massachusetts will buy more electricity from Hydro Quebec and will build an environmentally destructive transmission line through Maine to move the power. Thus, Massachusetts will attempt to meet its mandates by increasing Maine’s vulnerability to climate impacts.

Governor Scott was right to veto H.688 and we urge the Vermont Legislator to uphold his veto.