BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont’s climate policy blueprint is being overhauled.
From EV charging stations to a policy that forces fuel companies to pay for climate damage, it all aims to help Vermont cut its emissions.
The state is workshopping new solutions and needs everyone on board to get there.
As a consulting forester, Robbo Holleran travels around Vermont to help residents maximize their forests.
One of his top tips: cutting down dying trees in under-utilized forests to make room for new growth and use them for fuel.
“If we can capture some of that as energy, then we’re replacing fossil fuels by using wood for energy. So wood for energy is a critical part of the carbon management picture,” said Holleran.
But Holleran doesn’t feel Vermont has put enough stock in biomass power. That’s why he’s paying attention to updates coming for Vermont’s Climate Action Plan.
The plan is updated every 4 years and is due for its next update on July 1.
The Vermont Climate Council hosted virtual sessions in early November to gather public input on changes.
“Engagement needs to happen all the time in order to build trust and have conversations and discourse with Vermonters,” said Jane Lazorchak with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
The plan recommends changes in everything from transportation to municipal climate leadership.
In particular, Lazorchak says this update will focus on flood resilience, EVs, and land conservation policy.
It will also consider the physical and mental impacts of climate change which flooding brought to the surface.
“The kinds of recommendations that are envisioned in these plans are nothing short of a large transformation on how we live on the land in Vermont if we really want to meet these goals,” said Lazorchak.
The main goal: cutting Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.
That depends on pending policies like the Affordable Heat Act and what Vermonters bring to the table this update session.
“We do not have policies in place right now to set us up for success in meeting that target. We need more ambitious policies, more ambitious actions,” said Lazorchak.
If you missed the virtual sessions, you can contact the Agency of Natural Resources to make your voice heard.