A Primer on Energy Planning Opportunities

Strengthening town and regional plans - especially the energy component of the town plan - is a powerful tool to help advance conservation, efficiency, smarth growth development, renewable energy and alternative transportation opportunities. Check out this very basic primer on where you might start looking to update the energy component of your master plan. And find more information about how VNRC might help you and your community undertake this useful process.
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VNRC Offers Energy Planning Assistance to Vermont Communities

Planning is a powerful tool for combating Vermont’s energy and climate change challenges. Unfortunately, communities, regions and the state have not taken full advantage of available planning tools to help prepare for a carbon-constrained world. VNRC can offer technical assistance to Vermont communities interested in updating the energy component of their local plan or serve as a resource to municipalities and energy committees.
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S.350 Summary - May 6, 2008

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S.209 Summary - May 6, 2008

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Town Energy Committee Work Gathers Momentum

VNRC’s work to start and strengthen town energy and climate action committees gained significant momentum recently. With our partners in the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network, VNRC convened nearly 70 Vermonters representing energy committees and organizations across Vermont on December 6 to network, share stories and consider collaborative opportunities to tackle the energy and climate change challenges before us.
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Climate Change Commission Documents

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Regrouping on Global Warming and Energy

The recent demise of the forward-thinking energy bill, H.520, is a deep disappointment. While the outcome is not surprising, it is troubling. Hundreds of Vermonters turned out July 11 to support this legislation, and thousands of Vermonters want real action now on this pressing issue. But Vermont’s failure to act decisively on this measure set the state back significantly in tackling climate change, reducing Vermonters’ energy bills and creating good jobs.

Political jockeying and short-sightedness capsized Vermont’s best effort yet to translate climate change talk into action. In the end, under the heavy weight of Governor Douglas’ opposition to the legislation, the House even failed to take up a Senate-passed, watered down version of the bill.
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VNRC, NWF & Others Join Supreme Court Battle

WASHINGTON, DC (Aug. 31) -- The National Wildlife Federation filed an amicus brief today on behalf of itself, VNRC and 72 other sporting and conservation organizations, state fish and game departments, professional fish and wildlife societies, zoos and aquariums and religious organizations in a first-ever case involving global warming to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this fall.
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Energy Challenges

Vermont exports over $1 billion out of state every year for energy, and has fallen behind in the move to increase energy production from renewable sources and create broad-based energy efficiency programs.
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