Editor’s note: Anne Galloway interviewed Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, the Republican candidate for governor, about his views on energy and the environment. On Friday, vtdigger.org will run his economic policy statements. Because of the length of the transcript of the Q and A, we are running it in three parts. In the first interview, Galloway asked Dubie about his stances on gay marriage, abortion, school district restructuring, Act 60, property taxes, budget cuts, the rainy day funds and raising new taxes. The interview was conducted on June 18. What follows is a tweaked-for-clarity, verbatim telephone conversation.
Energy and the environment
Vtdigger.org: Do you support state investments in wind energy and solar energy?
Dubie: Well, we are (already). We have a 50 megawatt Feed-In-Tariff program. One of the great things is giving Vermont Yankee the privilege of storing waste fuel on the banks of the Connecticut River — that gives us millions of dollars to plow into renewable energy projects across the state.
We currently do (invest resources), consistent with the ability of senior citizens and small businesses and the ratepayers of Vermont to finance programs.
I support renewable energy solutions. Sustainability cuts a couple of different ways. Sustainability also means economically sustainable. I’m very mindful of the math, and there are developments in solar projects that are exciting. People are advising me about new technologies that make the math more favorable. These are engineering type people who know the math, so I’m very hopeful and optimistic that there will be advances.
The Northwind 100 is a project that has some exciting possibilities. It’s a Vermont-designed, Vermont-produced (wind) machine. I hope to facilitate conversations that will advance sales in Alaska of 40 machines.
There is some solar that makes the math more favorable, and I look forward to having renewable as a significant percentage of our mix of energy going forward.
Vtdigger.org: Would we buy as much Hydro-Quebec power as we could afford?
Dubie: Hydro-Quebec should be a part of our energy going forward. It’s a reliable source of baseload power. I’ve worked on relationship with them for eight years as Vermont’s lieutenant governor. Our relationships are strong. We have a strategic location with Quebec, and we should utilize that location for transmission opportunities whenever possible for our existing infrastructure that could be upgraded.
Hydro-Quebec is in the process of building 4,000 megawatts of new renewable resources that are designed for export to Southern New England and New York, and if there are ways to utilize our strategic location, consistent with that enterprise, consistent with upgrading the existing facilities, that should be a part of the conversation also.
Vtdigger.org: Would you support an extension of Vermont Yankee’s permit?
Dubie: The (Vermont) Attorney General is in the midst of a criminal investigation. I think a couple of things have to happen. As lieutenant governor, I need to read the attorney general’s analysis and the results of his investigation. That will be a part of answering the question you’ve asked.
Management (Entergy) needs to demonstrate a new culture of openness, honesty, accountability, safety and rigor. On June 23, they will be providing a root cause analysis of what happened with the tritium leak, why it happened and, more importantly, what is the likelihood of it happening in the future.
The Vermont Senate has voted. I’m really looking forward to the root cause analysis, the Public Service Board’s and the Public Service Department’s reaction to the root cause analysis and also the results of the attorney general’s analysis. Based on that data, which will be forthcoming relatively soon, I look forward to answering the question — if there is a question. I mean, the Vermont Senate has voted to not move the process forward.
I have a brother-in-law who is a member of the IBEW and works at the plant. I think we owe him and the 650 workers and the other 600 workers who support the plant — I think we owe them the due diligence to make sure we have all the information before we hand them pink slips. Safety trumps any kind of economic question, but the attorney general, the root cause analysis — these are important pieces of information I look forward to analyzing.
Vtdigger.org: What about conservation? Will you support the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board?
Dubie: I don’t want to give you a big scoop here, but IBM is going to launch a save-a-million kilowatt campaign, and I think that, in the words of the new plant manager, that’s a gut-churning goal.
I think we need a gut-churning goal at the state of Vermont. I think we all as individuals and as a state can do things more efficiently with the use of the power we have. The power you don’t use is the cheapest power.
I’ve worked closely to be a champion for Efficiency Vermont. They do great work, and I went to Quebec and met with Chinese officials and talked about Efficiency Vermont. I know people at IBM have a great story to tell, too.
Vtdigger.org: So you support the efforts to bring geothermal to state buildings?
Dubie: My brother-in-law’s brother was the head of the well-driller’s association, and I’ve had a conversation with Efficiency Vermont that we need to look at these questions holistically. Geothermal needs a little more electrical energy, but it uses significantly less fossil fuels.
Efficiency Vermont understood with some sophistication that in some cases you use a little more electrical energy for things like geothermal for heating and cooling a home. Geothermal is a great option in some situations.
Vtdigger.org: Are you satisfied with the way the Public Service Department and the Public Service Board have responded to the Yankee tritium leaks? Should the PSB chairman and PSD commissioner be replaced?
Dubie: I’m going to wait for the investigation from the attorney general before I make a judgment. I will say if I am elected governor, I will select the best Vermonters to do the job across state government, including the Public Service Department, and all the other departments; I’ll select the best Vermonters to do the job.
Vtdigger.org: Scientists say climate change will hurt Vermont’s maple trees and snowfall rates. Weakened trees and warmer weather could have an impact on two of the state’s major industries. As governor, what will you do to curb the effects of climate change on the state’s economy? How can the state prepare for possible population migrations, fewer food resources and other disruptive effects of climate change that have been predicted to impact the nation as a whole?
Dubie: First and foremost, a changing climate threatens our environment. That alone makes it cause for concern. The potential impact on Vermont’s agriculture, snowfall, foliage and maple syrup production means it is an economic concern as well, and one we must not ignore.
Carbon emissions are playing a large role in the warming of our planet. We have to stop burning fossil fuels, which emit carbon into our environment. That won’t happen overnight, but we must make a commitment now to developing clean, alternative energy sources. Wind, solar and biomass must replace the coal and oil we depend on as sources for energy.
Vermonters are coming up with new and better ways to generate energy, store it, and manage it, and developing technologies that get more done with less energy. As lieutenant governor I have been a huge supporter of developing the green energy sector of our state’s economy. During a trade mission to China in 2003, I formulated a vision for Vermont as “the Green Valley” – a place where environmental products and service companies would be welcomed; where they could interact with other businesses in
their industry; and where the environmental ethic of the citizens matched the environmental objectives of the company.
Companies like Northern Power Systems, Dynapower, SBE Electronics and Energizer are on the cutting edge of renewable energy technology and advancements in products that protect the environment. Vermont should provide greater investment and workforce training for such businesses, building the state as a Mecca for manufacturers and service companies committed to the “green” economy. As governor I would work to create a “Silicon Valley” of green tech and green energy here in Vermont.
