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Climate Change
We aren't sure of the extent
to which mankind influences climate change, but we do recognize the
importance of protecting our environment and natural resources. I have
invested a great deal of time and money in renewable energy ventures. My
family has supplied woodchips to electric generating facilities for 30
years. Our most recent venture is methane to electricity project on the
farm, which supplies green energy to the power grid.
I am pleased to see the state
encourage energy efficiency and also pleased to see us join the Regional
Greenhouse Gas Initiative – a cooperative effort by Northeast and
Mid-Atlantic states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Through Efficiency
Vermont's efforts in 2004 alone Vermont saved more than 58,000,000 kilowatt
hours of energy. This translates into a reduction of 500,000 tons of
greenhouse gases.
I would like to see Vermont
expand it's renewable energy portfolio while we transition out of Vermont
Yankee in the years ahead. We are really quite fortunate to be the greenest
state in the nation due in large part to long term contracts with Vermont
Yankee, Hydro Quebec and a variety of renewable sources in Vermont that
leave no carbon footprint.
I think Vermont is doing its
part to address climate change and should continue along those lines.
On October 20, 2008, I will
be participating in an initiative at the farm to help government officials
and farmers from British Columbia understand the function and benefits of a
methane digester.
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