 Ready to go? So thank you all for coming today. My name is Lauren Hurl and I'm the Executive Director of Vermont Conservation Voters. I'm speaking today on behalf of a diverse group of 30 organizations representing low-income advocates, businesses, environmental groups, youth leaders, health professionals, and others who have come together to call on our elected officials to enact a four-point climate plan. We believe implementing this platform will be a critical step forward to ensure Vermont does our part on climate change while growing our economy and actively working to improve equity in the state, which includes how we help lower-income Vermonters transition to more clean, healthy, and affordable solutions and ensuring climate solutions benefit communities in all parts of the state. It is time for action matching the seriousness of this crisis. Since the legislature adjourned last year, Vermonters have been calling for climate action in unprecedented numbers and with an urgency we've never seen before. The science continues to get increasingly stark, underscoring the urgency of acting swiftly to transform to a low carbon economy. Australia is on fire. There was record warmth in New England just this past weekend. The Arctic is melting at unprecedented speeds. The science is so alarming that scientists all over the globe stood up and declared that we are in a climate emergency. We are encouraged to see that many of our elected leaders in Vermont are stepping up to the challenge. Climate action is a top priority of Speaker Mitzi Johnson and Senate President Pro Tem Timash this year. The Climate Solutions Caucus has been working incredibly hard all summer and fall to hear from Vermonters across the state and craft policies that will advance climate action, economic opportunities, equity, and resilience. We know there's strong public support for climate action. VCV and VEPR commissioned a poll in early December of over 700 Vermont voters and it found overwhelming support across the state for climate policy platform that we're presenting today with at least three out of four Vermonters supporting each of the policy proposals that we're talking about and a strong majority of Vermonters who said they're very concerned about global warming and want elected officials who will take action. With scientific urgency, public support, and legislative leadership, we have a critical opportunity for climate action in 2020. But we also need leadership from Governor Scott. We need a vision and a plan coming from the administration. We're glad that he's excited about the fun new electric vehicles coming on the market. But without the policies and investments needed to help people buy more efficient vehicles and access other climate solutions, we know that we won't get where we need to go. Under Governor Scott's leadership, for the first time in years, we've lost jobs in the clean energy sector. We've halted progress on wind energy and our solar energy progress has slowed down. But we know we can get back on track and by supporting and signing these policies, Governor Scott can live up to his words when he strongly declared Vermont was still in for meeting the Paris Climate Accord commitments. We're presenting today a climate action plan that, if enacted, will represent essential meaningful progress. At VCV, support and leadership on enacting this climate action plan is what we will be educating voters about and holding elected officials accountable to during election season. Our platform includes a four point plan to work together to create the framework and initial policies and investments to put us on track to meeting our own state climate commitments. First, we need a global warming solutions act that will hold state government accountable to developing the plans and policies needed to at long last hit the climate targets we've committed to as a state. Second, we must require our utilities to achieve 100% clean renewable electricity by 2030. Third, we must modernize our energy efficient utilities so they can focus on driving down greenhouse gas pollution as they continue to do their long standing impactful work to improve electric efficiency. And finally, we must join the transportation and climate initiative and use the revenues in an equitable just way to invest in transportation solutions that will benefit Vermonters and communities across the state. You'll hear from several speakers now about why we need to act and how we can shape solutions to benefit our children, our health and the most vulnerable in our state while growing jobs and our economy. First, I'm going to invite up Seth Fisher Olvera from St. George and Vermont Common School. My name is Seth Fisher Olvera. I live in St. George, Vermont and I'm a senior at Vermont Common School in South Burlington. I'm a member of the Vermont Youth Lobby and I was a delegate at the Vermont Youth Lobby and I'm a member of the Climate Congress. I'm here as a member of the generation least responsible for the Climate Congress and the generation that will live with the consequences of continued inaction. I'm here to say this as clearly as I can. Governor Phil Scott and the legislature are not doing enough to address the climate crisis. Climate change threatens our economy, our environment and the way Vermonters lived their lives. The decisions made this year were made by young Vermonters for generations to come. For decades, elected officials have been aware of the danger that greenhouse gases pose, but they haven't taken action to protect young Vermonters. In fact, since 1990, carbon pollution has risen 13% in Vermont while it has fallen in every other New England state in New York and in Quebec. This is unacceptable. At the Vermont Youth Climate Congress last year, over 170 student delegates from schools from across the state convened to declare a climate emergency. In addition, we recommended more than 20 concrete steps that the state can take to reduce emissions, including the four banner proposals being announced today. Speaking as a delegate, I think it's fair to say that the young Vermonters want bolder action, more ambition and faster results than are proven today. But we must get started. This is an urgent and unprecedented global emergency. Vermont must play a role in this fight and young Vermonters are demanding our government play its part. So while these bills won't be enough, let's pass them all this year and get to work reducing pollution and protecting the future. Thank you. I'd like to welcome up Dr. David Rand, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Vermont and a member of the Vermont Climate and Health Alliance. Good morning. I'm Dr. David Rand. I'm pleased to be here on behalf of the Vermont Climate and Health Alliance, representing hundreds of health professionals across Vermont who are supporting the Climate Action Plan announced here this morning. As your doctors, nurses, veterinarians, and other healthcare providers, you expect us to act to protect your health. You expect us to say what needs to be said. As stewards of the health of Vermont's people, we are obligated to speak out. Let's start with a global picture. In the fall of 2018, 100 leading medical and health organizations representing over 6 million healthcare professionals declared climate change is a global health emergency. The World Health Organization lists the top 10 threats to human health annually. Climate change topped the list in 2019. I expect the same this year. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control Prevention predict severe health risks to all Americans. The American Psychiatric Association reminds us that climate change does not just affect the physical body, but also significantly impacts our mental health. Here are just a few examples of what my colleagues and I are seeing in Vermont in our daily work, because climate change is here already. Our patients with long disease are the first to notice hot weather and they call us when it is very hot or humid outside because they can't breathe. It's not just our long disease patients who are hurting. People with virtually any kind of medical illness are more prone to exacerbation other elements on the hottest days of the year. And the Vermont Public Health Association tells us that every day the average temperature in Vermont reaches at least 87 degrees. There is an additional death among Vermonters age 65 or older. Both in the clinic and the hospital we are caring for an increasing number of patients with serious consequences of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. The most vulnerable Vermonters are the most threatened by changes coming at us. The elderly, people in poverty, children, and people with disabilities, they are hit first and hardest. Two years ago the Vermont Climate and Health Alliance joined with the Vermont Medical Association, the Vermont Public Health Association, and other leading Vermont medical and health groups in sending a letter to the legislature stating that the science was clear and unequivocal. Climate change was poised to become the major threat to human health in the 21st century. Our message to the legislature, to the governor, and to all of Vermonters today is that our collective patient, the earth, is in worse condition than it was just two years ago. Our patient has a fever, low blood pressure, and it is in the intensive care unit. Left unchecked by Vermont, left unchecked by the time Vermont school-aged children are our age. Climate pollution will shatter many systems that we all need for health and security. We created this problem together. We will only get out of it if we sacrifice together. The time for inaction and trying to protect the status quo is over. In keeping with our oath as medical and health professionals to protect the health and well-being of our fellow Vermonters, the Vermont Climate and Health Alliance is here today to state our unequivocal support for this platform. And I'm proud to also report that the Vermont Medical Society, the state's largest physician membership organization representing over 2,400 physicians, medical students, and physician assistants, has signed onto this plan as well. Thank you. So welcome up, Earhart Montka from the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition. Thank you, Lauren, and thank you, Dr. Ran. My name is Earhart Montka, and I'm here representing the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition and the tens of thousands of low and modern income Vermonters that our members serve. Our coalition is made up of over 90 organizations that include the state's affordable housing developers, housing authorities, homeless service providers, low income advocates, and anti-poverty agencies. Our coalition is here today to join the call to the Vermont legislature and to Governor Scott, at last, to support climate action, climate actions that are necessary for Vermont and live up to its climate commitments. So why do housing and homeless organizations support these actions? Because we understand that climate change is a low income issue. Sorry. Climate change is a housing issue. When we look at the impacts of climate change, low income Vermonters are disproportionately impacted. They suffer the greatest consequences from our increasingly extreme weather. They live in the most risk prone locations, the most vulnerable structures, and are the slowest to recover from climate events. As just one example, those most affected by Tropical Storm Irene were low income residents in mobile home parks, one of which, Tri Park Mobile Home Park in Brattleboro, with 333 lots is the largest in the state and is still struggling to recover eight years later. That storm drives home an important point. The climate crisis will impact Vermont and Vermonters and is already doing so. That's not a reason not to act though, far from it. Doing right, climate action builds done right, climate action builds stronger communities and safeguards against the impacts that are on their way. Every policy in this platform can and should make Vermont communities from Burlington to Brunswick more resilient against the impacts of climate change. The other reality is that climate actions like weatherizing low income families homes and building housing that is both affordable and efficient aren't just good for the climate. These actions directly make the lives of families all around the state and measurably easier and better. These actions not only help lower our carbon footprint, they lower the overall cost of the housing, making it more affordable for the low income Vermonters they serve. All while creating good paint jobs that boost our economy and keep our hard earned dollars in state instead of exporting them through the purchase of fossil fuels. Members of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition are taking climate action every day. But the work we're doing and the individual choices so many Vermonters and Vermont businesses are making are simply not enough on their own. The governor and the legislature need to join us in taking Vermont's climate commitment seriously and that is why we stand behind the 2020 Climate Action Plan. Thank you. Next I'd like to welcome up Jordan Giaconia from Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. Good morning everyone. So my name is Jordan Giaconia. I'm a public policy manager with Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. VBSR is a business association representing over 730 business members in every industry and every county across the state united in our shared mission to advance an ethic that protects the natural human and economic environments of Vermont as a business thrives. From global brands like Ben & Jerry's and Burton to small startups like Mamava, VBSR members are some of the most successful and iconic businesses in our state who together shape the Vermont brand. If the legislature and governor are in need of inspiration we ask that they look no further than many of our leading businesses who are already taking steps to reduce their emissions and move toward energy independence. It comes as no surprise that these companies are deeply worried about the looming threat of climate change and increasingly optimistic about the economic opportunities bold climate action presents. Climate change is without question the single greatest threat to Vermont's communities ecosystems and our shared way of life. Spring is arriving earlier, heavy rainstorms are becoming common place and our summers are hotter and drier than ever. Meanwhile more frequent and severe storms cause floods that cost us millions in damage property and infrastructure. From winter recreation to local food and drink driven tourism industries these changes disrupt nearly every facet of our state's economy and we can no longer afford half measures. Despite widespread bipartisan support for Vermont's greenhouse gas reduction goals and a standing commitment to the Paris climate agreement Vermont's lingering dependency on fossil fuel continues to keep our emissions on the rise and our economy stifled. Rather than exporting billions of dollars on out-of-state fossil fuels we urge Vermont legislature and governor to advance renewable energy and efficiency solutions that will move us off of imported fossil fuels, curb greenhouse gas emissions and reinvest those dollars into building a new innovation workforce ensuring a just transition into a clean energy future for all Vermonters. Failure to do so will put our communities at risk and all but ignore one of the greatest wealth-generating opportunities in our country. VBSR is long advocated for a triple bottom line of people, planet and prosperity and I'm here today to tell you that none of these values are mutually exclusive. Together through local investment equity and accountability we can tackle climate change, build a thriving economy and put the green back in Green Mountain State. But never least uh Paul Burns from the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. All right so this is it just two more minutes. Thanks, thanks everybody for being here. Good morning again my name is Paul Burns. I'm the executive director of V-PIRB, the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. We're the largest consumer and environmental advocacy organization in Vermont. I want to start by thanking all the members of the 30 organizations who have joined in this call for bold climate action today. That we face a climate crisis, a climate emergency is undeniable. Every city, state and nation understand that understands that scientific fact has a responsibility to take action that is equal to the challenge that we face. As you all know Vermont has not yet met that challenge not by a long shot but as Lauren and others have rightly pointed out leaders in the Vermont House and Senate are stepping up and supporting the kinds of policies that are needed to move our state from merely talking the talk on climate to actually walking the walk. Now it's Governor Scott's turn. More than two years ago he proudly proclaimed that we're still in after President Trump announced that he was pulling the United States out of the Paris climate accord. Since then there's been more talk but very little action from the governor. If Governor Scott does in fact support Vermont's own climate commitments as he says he does it is time for him to show it. It's time for him to lead follow or get out of the way of legislators who are proposing real solutions this year. Now we genuinely hope that the governor will step up but it's action more than words that we need now and let me be clear if the sum total of what an elected official supports will clearly fall short of putting Vermont on a track to achieve our climate commitments then that elected official does not support our state's climate commitments period. That's why it's so heartening to see the breadth and depth of support for bills like the Global Warming Solutions Act and the Senate's just released 100% by 2030 bill. Holding elected officials accountable is part of what we all do but we're far more interested in working with them to achieve the solutions to the problems that we face together. In 2020 our 30 organizations and the tens of thousands of members that we support and that we represent are committed to working with all state leaders who are willing to treat the climate crisis as the emergency that it is. Thanks. Thank you so much and we would now be happy to answer any questions you might have. Answered at all. Great. I just had one question so when we look at the TCI I don't really know how to formulate the question but some people are saying it's going to raise the price of a tank of a gallon of gasoline about 17-18 cents that's one reason the governor has come out against it saying he can't support any more fees on low income Vermonters. Where do we draw that line? Where do we how do we balance that? I can take a first stab but others feel free to jump in. I mean I think an important context of the Transportation Climate Initiative is really looking at that as a regional approach to addressing what is Vermont's leading greenhouse gas emissions sector our transportation sector and it's really taking seriously how do we transform it so we're getting more Vermonters into alternative vehicles cleaner healthier more affordable vehicles and so the key part that is missing from if we just focus on the cap that's being put on pollution and the fee that fossil fuel companies would pay is the investment that could bring tens of millions of dollars to Vermont and help Vermonters transition to better transportation alternatives. I would also say I'm Johanna Miller I'm the Energy and Climate Program Director at the Vermont Natural Resources Council that Vermonters are already bearing a high cost right now so doing something about it is intended to assuage that a little bit most importantly it's also to put in the context of 17 cents is about a decade out. We've paid more the difference between what we were paying in gas this summer and what we are paying now in the city of Montpelier is far more than 17 cents so I just want to say and let me tell you right now as you heard from others about 80% of that cost that we are paying goes out of state so this is a proactive proposal a starting point to make sure that we are reducing emissions in our most carbon polluting intensive sector and using those dollars to reinvest in solutions that will save Vermonters money over the long term so let's put the frame in context to say that it's really intended to be a long term sort of economic protection for Vermonters. What kind of assistance can we give to private utility companies in Vermont to help them reach the goal by telling them they're being provided for a 100% renewable that's a tall task in the next 10 years? Hi Olivia Campbell Renewable Energy Vermont Executive Director so the state's largest utility Green Mountain Power last year already made a commitment to move and achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030 so what we know is that climate change and the changes that we are experiencing with increased storm events are increasing the cost of all of our energy and our electricity system now. Green Mountain Power has spent over 25 million dollars in the last four years responding to storm events and that costs Vermonters money so the more we can power our community with local renewable electricity it creates greater resilience and has the impact of reducing costs in both the short term and the long term. Does that answer your question? I'm just curious if there was any ideas as to like the assistance that might be provided now there are smaller utility companies in different parts of the state that they rebound power as a company that maybe have some more catching up to do? Sure well we do actually have two utilities two small utilities Burlington Electric Department and Washington Electric Co-op that provide 100% renewable electricity now to their members so I'm not sure it's a matter of incentives for utilities is the is what it addresses I believe that this is really proposed to grow our local economy and increase our climate resilience and lower electricity costs with local renewable electricity because we Vermonters pay very high amounts of money every year for transporting electricity through the ISO New England grid we're part of a regional grid and the more that we can generate our electricity locally then we save on those costs. How would you envision the state of Vermont who would spend the tens of millions of dollars from TCI? I would say that's a that's a state of Vermont decision and I think there are many conversations already underway about how to best use those dollars and a commitment to ensuring that those dollars go back into the communities who need help rural communities go back to low income Vermonters who need help in making the transition so I think the good news is that we have agency over that and that the commitment and principle to helping Vermonters who need it the most rural low-income vulnerable Vermonters will lead that conversation and we get to participate that in that if we move forward with making this really important commitment TCI as well so of course Governor Scott kind of has his reservations but also in Massachusetts Governor Baker is sort of expressed to look down politicians down to Rhode Island as well so with being such a large coalition right I mean why should Vermonters believe in TCI and the effects that they have if we see throughout New England people well Vermonters can take solace in that it's a proven approach we have participated in the regional greenhouse gas initiative for many years Republican Governor Jim Douglas entered into this regional program to cap emissions in the electric sector that program has worked our emissions have gone down the economies in New England and the northeast are among the strongest and so we have a proven approach it's a foundational step forward and we can improve it over time but I think to Kevin's question I think we are committed in the state of Vermont to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a way that protects vulnerable low-income rural Vermonters as well so it's a it's a great opportunity anything else thank you all so much before you run I just want to these are all fair questions but I just wanted to add that you know failing to act on this climate emergency is not doing a favor for any to any Vermonters it's not doing a favor to low-income Vermonters or anyone else by failing to act it's like being unwilling to call the fire department when your house is on fire because you're worried that your taxes might go up to pay for that fire engine that's not going to solve the problem we need solutions and we need leadership now and the governor simply saying I care I believe in science but I'm unwilling to act is no longer enough we need to see leadership we need it to happen now