Today’s episode

In this week’s Climate Dispatch we give an update on a few timely conversations and actions happening related to climate — the Climate Council, the state budget, and the Transportation Bill (T-Bill). The Climate Council’s work continues in earnest, largely through the leadership and efforts underway in the five subcommittees.

Excitingly, this week, the subcommittees have been meeting with the newly hired public engagement team which is mapping out a plan to hear from Vermonters — including many Vermonters who have too often not been at the table in these conversations — to begin to understand their climate impacts, concerns priorities, and the opportunities they see to do our part to reduce planet-warming pollution, while also ensuring a cost-effective, equitable, resilience-building transition. 

Call to action

Connected to but beyond the work of the Climate Council is the final push to wrap the FY 2022 state budget. This week, the Legislature’s Appropriations Committees — in a committee of conference — have been putting their final touches on finalizing a budget that the full Legislature will vote on next week. This is a critical moment.

Help ensure that Vermont makes the critical job-creating, equity enhancing investments in strategic climate programs by appropriating at least $200 million of American Rescue Plan Act dollars in the FY 2022 budget. Call or email your Representative(s) and Senator(s) today and ask for their support of a $200 million investment in climate action.