FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 24, 2017

Contact: Brian Shupe, Vermont Natural Resources Council Executive Director, (802) 223-2328 x120

Vermont Natural Resources Council Statement on Governor Scott’s Budget Address

Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) is pleased that Governor Scott recognized the importance of investing in clean water, and acknowledged the hard work State Treasurer Pearce put into identifying potential funding sources for cleaning up the state’s waters in the Clean Water Report required by Act 64 of 2015. However, we are disappointed and concerned that unlike Treasurer Pearce, Governor Scott did not identify long-term stable revenue sources needed to protect our waters — and the economic value that clean water provides as part of the Vermont brand and our tourist economy. In addition, while the short-term funding proposed by Governor Scott is an important step, it does not appear to be sufficient to implement Act 64 and meet our legal obligations over the next two years.

VNRC is pleased the Governor recognized the economic importance of maintaining Vermont’s landscape and environmental quality.

VNRC also appreciates that Governor Scott recognized the need to achieve our conservation, efficiency and renewable energy goals. We look forward to Governor Scott’s plan to achieve the state’s 90% renewable energy by 2050 goal given the urgent threat of climate change to Vermont’s economy and environment.

We also hope that Governor Scott, in stating that he will not support ridgeline energy development, will not single out the impacts of renewable energy on the environment and will hold all development projects accountable for their impacts on Vermont’s natural resources

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