Editor’s note: This commentary is by state Rep. Mike Mrowicki, a Democrat who represents Windham-4 (Putney, Dummerston and Westminster) in the Vermont House of Representatives.
[T]his mud season has been one for the books, those of us who live on dirt roads can attest to. The only one comparable on my road is the year a frost heave preceded a mud spot. So, those gunning their engines to get through the mud would slam into the frost heave, then hit the mud — the sum effect being a pile of mufflers and bumpers on the side of the road.
This year the mud hasn’t been limited to our dirt roads and, interestingly, it seems the chaos and mud being slung from the White House is affecting the perceptions of otherwise intelligent people.
I get it that one report after another has brought dire news about global warming, or Trump’s anti-abortion policies being passed in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, et al. And that it seems we should just keep flags at half-staff, waiting for the next school or church shooting.
Trump keeps stoking our fears and spreading chaos. It allows him to then work behind the scenes and effect his plans to keep the rich getting richer and the rest of us paying for it.
What surprises me is the growing number of people buying the notion that the Vermont Legislature is either ”doing nothing” or “not acting boldly.”
As the late senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, once opined: “Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.”
Yes, abortion rights are under siege, with laws popping up which prevent any abortion, even in cases of rape or incest.
No, Vermont is not “doing nothing.”
Fact is, we’re leading the way to fight back, with a two-part path to codify Roe v. Wade into state statute and add it to our state Constitution. Basically, this codifies current practice. Hardly “doing nothing” or “not acting boldly.” Especially compared to what other states are doing.
Guns used for suicide, domestic violence and in guns-for-drug trades are a problem in Vermont, as they are nationwide. States that have passed waiting periods for gun sales have seen reductions in those actions.
The Vermont Legislature has now passed a 24-hour waiting period bill for handgun sales, that awaits action by the governor. Where other states are silenced by the gun lobby, Vermont has, again, acted. Boldly.
Regarding climate action, this issue is not something the Legislature has just discovered, as seems to be the case for some of our younger citizens. I would point out to those who interrupted House proceedings last week that they might’ve done well to first listen to what we were debating. They would have heard about a bill which would hold corporations accountable for environmental degradation — and made them pay for medical testing where toxic pollution was suspected.
Since Gov. Peter Shumlin made climate a priority, starting with bringing Bill McKibben to address the whole Legislature, we have been acting. On our own and with other states, even as the federal government, now led by the climate denier-in-chief, has curtailed or reversed actions previously undertaken.
Here’s a brief sketch of some of the domains we have — and will — continue to work within, to reduce our carbon.
RGGI — The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a cap and trade compact that Vermont participates in with Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland and Rhode Island. This was supposed to be a national initiative. When the national effort fell apart, Vermont and other Northeast states picked up the pieces and created RGGI. Let’s hope the rest of the country can follow the path we’ve blazed on this.
Agriculture and Forestry — This is an area that is ongoing through our regenerative soils and forestry management programs to better sponge and sequester carbon. We’re also planning to put more tracts of land into the California carbon trade initiative — the challenge is the minimum size is 5,000 acres. Not a problem in larger states but more of a challenge in Vermont. Bottom line is our farms and forests have been, and will be, a front line in pulling carbon out of our atmosphere.
Electric Conservation and Efficiency — Efficiency Vermont is a national model for how to best affect efficiency and conservation measures for both business and residential electric consumers. Their work with Green Mountain Power, especially with their hybrid water heater and heat pump program is an example of how collaborations create a synergy greater than any one individual entity. And, the fact that GMP’s portfolio is 90% green, including Cow Power, makes using electric appliances and vehicles that much more “green.”
Thermal Efficiency and Conservation — Vermont’s two largest contributors to our carbon footprint are home heating and transportation. With older housing stock, thermal efficiency in weatherization is the low hanging fruit.
Our network of community action programs provides the weatherization and home repair programs for lower income Vermonters. Their work is alongside a growing cadre of private contractors providing these services. Our future funding hopes to expand into helping working and middle class Vermonters who might want to make these home improvements but are unable to easily access the capital for such work.
Alternative/Renewable Energy — This a field where Vermont has led the nation in creating the highest percentage of jobs in this area. Combining economic development and climate action, between solar applications and upgrading heating/cooling systems (most prominently between the Green Mountain Power heat pump program), Vermont is doing its work. Cow Power, solar, wind and co-generation systems continue to expand Vermont’s energy sources.
Transportation — This is an area where we need to grow as much as any. Public transportation is a dilemma in a small rural state like Vermont, but an essential part of reducing one of our largest contributing areas in producing carbon.
Our hope is also to create a fleet of electric vehicles, along with expanding the charging infrastructure needed to keep them running. To that end, we have dedicated a large percentage of the VW settlement money to subsidize EV purchases and building infrastructure.
As for carbon pricing, the biggest barrier to building enough support is how to enact this without unfairly penalizing lower income Vermonters.
The other challenges we face are that we still need to feed the hungry, house the homeless, maintain our schools and hospitals as well as roads, bridges and other ongoing systems in the state. We don’t have the luxury of saying there’s only one issue to deal with.
We are producing actions, and compared to most other states, these are indeed bold actions, even in little old Vermont. Please be assured we are pedaling as hard as we can, and hopefully, we won’t get stuck in the mud — or have our work obscured by the mud being thrown about.
We look forward to working together and doing more to help create a strong healthy Vermont that works for all, not just a select few.