 Good evening. My name is Iris Chung, and it is my pleasure to welcome you to tonight's forum. Our honored guests this evening are several of the candidates for Vermont's Lieutenant Governor. And our topic is climate change. I'm here as a member of the Vermont Climate Council and a student activist with the Vermont Youth Lobby, as well as a senior at Essex High School and a member of the generation that is least responsible for climate, the current climate crisis, but who will have the most to lose during our current inaction. Our co-hosts this evening include Renewable Energy Vermont, Rights and Democracy, the Vermont chapter of the Sierra Club, Vermont Conservation Voters, and the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, or VPIRD. The co-hosts invited all of the Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidates regardless of political party in order to provide the most relevant conversation and allow time to dig into the subject of climate change. Our co-hosts established a set of criteria for inclusion in tonight's debate. Candidates needed to meet the following modest, one of the following modest requirements. First, they needed to file their candidacy with the Secretary of State, and then they had to meet one of the following four bars have earned at least 5% of the vote in a previous statewide election, have received 5% or more in a public opinion poll, have received contributions from 750 or more Vermonters or have received at least 17,500 in contributions. The contribution figures were not picked arbitrarily. These are the amounts required to qualify for the Vermont's public financing program. Candidates had until yesterday at 6 p.m. to demonstrate eligibility and we are privileged to have four candidates joining us tonight. I will introduce them in a moment. First, let me describe the format of the next 90 minutes. Each candidate will have two minutes to introduce themselves. Then we will have members of various co-hosting organizations ask questions of the candidates and each candidate will have one minute to answer. If time permits, I will have a few questions near the very end and each candidate will have 30 seconds to respond and to wrap up the evening, each candidate will have one minute for a closing statement. We will start in alphabetical order by last name, A-B-C-D for the first question, then we will rotate who answers the next question, B-C-D-A, the third question will be C-B-D-A and so on. In that way, every candidate will have the opportunity to answer some questions first and last. To keep on track, we will have a countdown timer and clock that will flash red and then disappear when a candidate's time is up. So keep your eye on the timer and please try to keep to be a lot of times. Close captioning is available in the bottom of your Zoom window and we ask that all attendees question askers and candidates mute themselves when they are not speaking to minimize background noise. Can I ask you a question before we get started? I'm not sure who that is. It's Jeffrey. Parkville. Can I finish with our introduction first? We're live streaming and recording this forum and if you have any tech issues, you can definitely message RadTechHelp or post them in the chat. Do you have a clarifying question that you want to ask Charlie? Really quick. How many Senate positions are in Vermont? One or two? This is currently a debate on the topic of climate for the Lieutenant Governor's position and with those ground rules set, I'm going to introduce our candidates. We have Charlie Kimball, Patricia Preston, Kitty Toll and David Zekerman. Mr. Kimball, could you please introduce yourself in your campaign? Thank you ours for the introduction. My name is Charlie Kimball. I live in Woodstock, Vermont and I am running for the Lieutenant Governor. I'd like to get your support. So I grew up in St. Albans, Vermont as the youngest of eight kids and I've grown up all over the state. After that, when I entered freshman year of high school, my family moved to Brownsville, Vermont and I went to Woodstock Union High School where my wife, Carol and I graduated and all three of our kids also graduated. And I like to get your support based on my experience, my community involvement and my politics. So in my business experience, I've worked for 35 years in the private sector for a variety of different companies, large and small have helped people and individuals buy their first car or home or start and expand a business. I've also helped artists make a living from their work and also helped manufacturers thrive. My wife and I did own a retail clothing store and helped connect people to the outdoors through our work there. In the legislature, in my community involvement, I worked for various organizations large and small across the state, nonprofit organizations such as King Street Youth Center, the Good Neighbor Health Clinic down on Weber Junction and 15 other nonprofit boards. Also as an event organizer, the Cover Burgess Half Marathon is erased or organized as well as the Prouty Ultimate and the Road to the Poe. I've served in the legislature for the past six years on the Committee of Commerce and Economic Development where I've been working on workforce development issues. In this last legislative session, we've been talking about workforce development to help with weatherization, which is we're very far behind with a number of homes we can weatherize based on the workforce that we have. I hope to become the Lieutenant Governor to really focus on those workforce development issues and to try to align those different systems to develop the careers and the job opportunities that Vermonters need and can use to thrive in this environment. I would like your support and look forward to the primary on August 9th. Thank you for your support. Thank you, Mr. Kimball and Ms. Preston, could you please introduce yourself in your campaign? Thank you, Iris and everyone who organized this debate as well as all of you joining us virtually. For those of you who are not familiar with my story, my name is Patricia Preston and I was raised on a fourth generation dairy farm in Randolph Center, where I was instilled with a deep appreciation for our land, communities and values of grit and hard work. I'm a proud product of the Vermont education system and I'm also a former educator. I'm running for Lieutenant Governor because I believe in the promise of Vermont. While on the campaign trail, I've been speaking with Vermonters from across the state who are sharing their stories with me about the challenges they're facing, which have only been exacerbated by COVID-19. On the path to progress, we must do everything in our power to create a more just and sustainable future. As your next Lieutenant Governor, I will be an advocate for making childcare and housing more affordable, expanding renewable energy production and strengthening our rural communities by expanding high-speed internet access. While there are clear obstacles before us, change is possible when all Vermonters are afforded a seat at the table. My work over the last decade as president at the Vermont Council on World Affairs is rooted in this principle and we must engage in public forums and civil discourse to address our most pressing issues. We cannot wait to address the issues facing our state or expect that the same old way of doing things will deliver new results. I am part of the next generation stepping up to serve our state to create a more promising future for Vermont. I will do this by elevating the voices of Vermonters in every corner of the state, which is an extension of the work I've been developing for nearly the last decade at the Vermont Council on World Affairs. It is time for new leadership in Vermont to unify our state and deliver results that work for all Vermonters. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Preston, Ms. Toll. Can you please introduce yourself in your campaign? Thank you. Good evening. It's a pleasure to be here tonight with all of you and thank you to the organizations that have put this event together. I'm Kitty Toll. I was born and raised in Danville on the seventh generation dairy farm. I'm the youngest of 14 children and hard work, community service, caring for our friends and neighbors and the land were modeled by my parents every day. I'm a mother of two daughters and my husband and I have made the Northeast Kingdom our home. I was a middle school teacher for 14 years and I served in the Vermont legislature for 12 years, 10 of which I was on the House Appropriations Committee and the last four years I served as chair. And doing this work, I did not see people as Democrats, Republicans, independents or progressives. I worked with everybody at the table to get the job done. One of those jobs was taking the lead in ushering the Global Warming Solutions Act through the Appropriations Committee. This bill went far ahead of the budget in timing and its passage was then made a top priority. All of these experiences have led me here tonight. I am a candidate for Lieutenant Governor because Vermont is at a crossroads. Climate change is the most serious threat humanity has faced. It is a threat to our way of life here in Vermont into everything that we hold near and dear. We have to address the climate crisis now. An unprecedented amount of federal dollars have come into our state. We must spend these monies wisely to preserve and protect our environment in addition to addressing the inadequacies in broadband and housing and the lack of childcare. The decisions we make today will shape our future. I look forward to talking about how we can turn these challenges into opportunities through weatherization projects, electrification, clean transportation and moving away from fossil fuels and working with all sectors to encourage sustainable and renewable practices. These are important issues that affect all Vermonters and I'm happy to be here tonight to share my vision. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Tolle. Mr. Zuckerman, can you please introduce yourself and your campaign? Thank you. I want to thank Rights and Democracy, VPIRD, VCV, Sierra Club, Renewable Energy Vermont and everyone else who's here tonight. I am David Zuckerman and I am asking for your vote to be the next Lieutenant Governor. I'm a regenerative organic farmer, a father, a business owner and I've had the honor of serving you as a climate and environmental champion for 22 years as Lieutenant Governor and as a state legislator. Across the state, I've noticed a common theme. People are exhausted. They're exhausted by COVID, inflation, war and the breakdown of democracy. They're exhausted by the housing crisis. And of course, we are all exhausted by the climate crisis and the lack of urgency for many political leaders. Folks are reaching a breaking point. We need experienced leadership in the Lieutenant Governor's office on day one, excuse me to work with Vermonters to address these issues for our future. Throughout my life, I have centered environmental justice in much of the work that I've done. I became a farmer after I graduated from UVM with a degree in environmental studies because I learned about the huge impact that agriculture has on our environment. I grow organically because I believe that our food system should be part of the planet's solution, not part of the problem. I came into politics as an environmental activist in the legislature I worked on developing and expanding renewable energy in Vermont, earning the 2013 Legislator of the Year from Renewable Energy, Vermont. The climate crisis is the most pressing issue that we face today. And if we do not act quickly to pass bold policy, our future generations will not have a habitable planet to inherit from us. We must make sure that we center the needs of those who have been most affected by climate change, BIPOC, low income and other marginalized communities as we make a just transition away from our extractive economy and towards a regenerative economy. We cannot make this transition on the backs of people who are struggling to make ends meet. As your next Lieutenant Governor, I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and work alongside Vermont's climate community to fight for our future and create a more climate resilient Vermont. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Deckerman. For our next segment, we are going to have questions asked by members, staff and trustees of our co-hosting organizations. And for our first question, we are getting it from Jubilee McGill of Rights and Democracy. Jubilee, could you ask your question? Thank you, Iris. Governor Phil Scott has proven to be the largest obstacle to climate action in our state as demonstrated by his vetoes of the Global Warming Solutions Act and other important climate bills like the recent Clean Heat Standard Bill. As Lieutenant Governor, how would you have worked to address this problem? Ms. Preston, you're up first and you have one minute. Great, thank you so much. And thank you for this question. We must take immediate climate action in order to build a more sustainable future for all of our generations. We know that heating Vermont's buildings produces more than a third of the state's greenhouse gas emissions. And I'm disappointed that we did not act on this legislative session to reduce emissions in our thermal sector. As Vermont's next Lieutenant Governor, I will work to build a green economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This means advocating for a reduction in our carbon footprint, increasing energy efficiency and expanding our renewable energy sector and creating a green jobs workforce that is equipped for the future. Thank you. Ms. Dole, you're next, one minute. Thank you. I truly believe that the state needs to lead by example. I was very disappointed in the veto of the Clean Energy and the Clean Heat Standard. I feel that I just have to take this out of my... Am I unmuted? Okay, I'm sorry. The state must lead by example. I was very disappointed in the actions of the governor when the Clean Heat Standard was vetoed. I felt that the legislators had done their job and had worked using the climate action plan to look for methods in order to move away from fossil fuels. Without a plan in place, we are not going to meet our 2030 targets. And when people are at the table and legislation is being discussed in good policy is moving forward, it's important that the House, the Senate and the executive branch are all talking and all communicating. We have only a few years until 2030 and an important policy such as the Clean Heat Standard needs to be in place or an alternative plan that will get us there. And so I feel that our state needs to be lead by example and to be a model for the rest of the country. And I was very disappointed that this bill did not continue through. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Zacharman, you have one minute. Well, I was disappointed not only that the governor vetoed this bill, but many others. And he even did it with an attitude of you've seen me veto before, I'll veto again. I think many people heard those kinds of quotes and that was extremely disappointing because that's not really a collaborative approach. I reached out to the governor many times to work together and he chooses to walk his own path. What I will do as lieutenant governor, as I did in the past, is actually work with people across the state to build the energy to make sure the momentum is there for the legislation. Whether it's to get the governor to sign a bill or let it become law without a signature or to really work with people to make sure we have enough votes to override both with the elections now, as well as with their votes when that opportunity arises. I have a long track record of working with people all over the state, both to pass legislation, to organize with Vermonters in living rooms and church basements and coffee shops and bringing people into the process is the way that we will get the process to listen to the people. Thank you. Mr. Kimball, you have one minute. Thank you. I was on the floor when the override vote was taken to override the governor's veto and we lost by one vote. It was very disappointing. The governor had sent some signals through his mediaries to try to get the bill changed in the Senate. And it came back with a little different twist than it left the House. And that was for the House to vote on or the legislature to vote on recommendations that would be made for the clean heat standard by the Public Utilities Commission. And that wasn't going far enough to meet the governor's need or his interest in knowing what the costs were or knowing what the system was. So I think as Lieutenant Governor directs response to your questions, Lieutenant Governor would work more with the governor's office and try to figure out what is the acceptable path. He has always held his cards close to the vest and has come in at the last minute to veto bills that we were not aware that he was going to veto because of one or two particular provisions. So I would be more active in filling that role of working with the governor to make sure that that type of bill is going to go across his desk. Thank you. Thank you all. Our next question comes from VPurg and Jenna Hirschman. Jenna, could you please ask your question? My name is Jenna Hirschman and I'm a sophomore at Essex High School and a member of Youth Lobby. I'm active in the climate movement because it's my future and I believe it's very important. My question is on a scale of one to 10, how urgent is the issue of climate change to you and what have you done in your personal life to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Thank you. Thank you and Ms. Tolle, you're up first. Thank you. And thank you, Jenna for the question and it's very refreshing to have somebody from high school here and participating in this forum tonight. I applaud your efforts and I'm really pleased that you're here. What I have done in my personal life is also in the legislature to work toward cleaner Vermont and I will tell you on a scale of one to 10, one being the least and 10 being the greatest, I would be at a 10. We need to address the climate crisis now. In the legislature, I served on the Appropriations Committee and when I was chair, it was very important the timing of moving through the Global Warming Solutions Act which is the foundation of much of what Vermont is going to do to capture carbon, to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 and 2050. The timing was very important and what we didn't know is that we had a pandemic that would close down the state house weeks later. It was fortunate that we put this legislation through in February, far ahead of the budget, making it a priority in the budget. That is very unusual to do. Usually everything is on the table and the budget is worked on as a whole. Thank you. That would be great. Sorry. Stop right there. Thank you. Yeah. Mr. Zakerman, you're up next. Thank you for the question and I'm really excited for this question. First of all, on a one to 10 scale, it's probably about a 12 to 15 for me. I've been fighting on environmental issues in the climate since I was studying at UVM over 30 years ago and there's a number of things I've done on the farm. For one, we grow cover crops in order to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. There's a lot of evidence that shows that farming can actually be a primary way to reduce the carbon in the atmosphere far more than many of the technology solutions that are out there. We just need to work to incentivize it. And I would work with the payment for ecosystems services working group out of the agency of agriculture to put forward the most forward thinking or generative ag policy possible. I've put solar panels on the roof of our barn in order to offset and create the energy for, unfortunately, the massive amount of energy it takes to cool food that we grow here on the farm. I wash out all our plastic bags and our yogurt containers to use as Tupperware. Why do we buy Tupperware, more plastic? Let's use the plastic that already comes into our house as many times as possible. And I also carpool when possible, living rurally, that's very hard to do. But thank you. Yeah. Next, the question goes to Mr. Kimball. Yeah, thank you. I'd say that the greatest challenge and maybe over the scale of 10 is convincing other people that are still on the fence about accepting climate change as being a reality. And I think that's the greatest obstacle we find. I think somebody mentioned that that the generation didn't cause it. Absolutely right. The people that have been living with technology that relies on fossil fuel for so long are the ones that are kind of denying the importance of having to change from it. So that would, I say, is the biggest obstacle for myself just having spray foam insulated the house both in the attic and the basement and also putting in some heat pumps and moving towards solar panels on the roof. I haven't done that yet. So I'd say my personal scorecard is not as stellar as it could or should be. And I need to work better on that. And I am part of that generation that needs to improve on that so I can relate to it. And I know that it's really important that we do that. So I know it's an emergency now and we need to convince the rest of the doubting public that this is actually true. Thank you. All right, Ms. Preston, you're lost. Thank you for this question. So to give you a number one through 10, I'm 10 plus plus. This is one of my number one priorities and something that I think both in my personal life and in my public life, I've made a clear priority. And outside of the things that I do, like being a vegetarian or the way that I get around the state, outside of these things, what I've done in my personal work is I have led public forums at my organization, the Vermont Council on World Affairs, where I have not only strengthened Vermont's cultural fabric, but I've also worked to address Vermont's climate change and expanding workforce development opportunities. I have actively led civil discourse and engagement on climate issues in every corner of the state by connecting experts in climate and the renewable sector with leaders from around the world with Vermonters to address these issues and collaborate to find solutions. These statewide initiatives, it's been very important for me to have an intersectional approach. And I've brought experts that have had a really, I've had the opportunity to elevate various voices, including the BIPOC community and other underrepresented communities. Thank you, Vermonters. Thank you very much. Greta Hassler of Vermont Conservation Voters has our next question. Greta? Yes, this year, Vermont had federal funding available to help invest in clean heat, transportation, weatherization, and other climate-friendly technologies. However, federal funding will run out in the next couple of years. So what specific approaches will you support to raise revenue to continue these important programs that help Vermonters transition to clean energy solutions? All right, Mr. Zachman, the question goes to you. Thank you, I really appreciate this question because it goes to the heart of some of the challenges that have occurred over the last number of years in the legislature where this has not been the top priority. There have been investments made, but they've not been at the scale that we need. I, for years, led the way on speaking out about the need to either find more efficiencies in state governments so that we would have the resources needed for these investments, or be willing to ask those who have really gained their wealth through the extractive economy to pay more into our system so that we can resolve these challenges without putting the burden on the backs of working people. So there's really two ways to go. Work to find efficiency through our health department and health and human services and education budgets, which are huge. Let's blend some of their work so that we can save money, create better outcomes, and use that money here. Or let's look towards a progressive income tax on those that have benefited from the extractive economy, because it's those with 10,000 square foot homes, private jets, multiple pools, large vehicles that are the ones that have really done the outsized impact and they need to help us pay for the future. All right, Mr. Kimball, you're next. Thank you. One of the things that's worked well in the electricity industry is with efficiency of Vermont Energy and Investment Corporation to really assess a fee on electricity and try to fund efficiency projects. I think we need a fuel efficiency, not just electric efficiency. And that could be a source of funds to really look at how to better enable those that need to have better transportation, whether it's electric transportation or public transportation, to fund those different programs. So I really think that we need to expand the idea of that efficiency fund to include all fuels, not just electricity. And that's something that I would pursue as a tenant governor. All right, Ms. Preston. Great, thank you so much. As Vermont's next lieutenant governor, I will bring a fresh perspective and innovative ideas to deliver on results for all Vermonters. On our path to fulfilling the promise of Vermont, we must make strategic investments that prepare us for the future while also confronting the challenges we're facing today from the affordability crisis to our climate crisis. And yes, I say it is a crisis. I have direct experience strengthening through the Vermont Council climate action, not only by bringing innovative ideas to these strategic investments, but also by bringing folks together from every corner of the state to engage in civil discourse to make these decisions together. Through my work, I've seen just how powerful it can be when people come together just like we're doing at this forum to engage on these issues and find common ground to find solutions. I am the best candidate to move our state forward because I have a proven track record of being a consensus builder who is ready to bring people together from every corner of our state on day one just as I've done at the Vermont Council on World Affairs to address these climate issues. Ms. Toll, you're up. Thank you. The climate action plan does exactly this. It demands that we look at funding sources, that we look at revenues, how we're going to move forward in order to have the revenues to pay for these important advances to stop climate change. Weatherization is a perfect example. We've put $6 to $8 million in the budget during the recession, which was very difficult to do. There's $80 million in the budget this year for weatherization projects. That will weatherize 10,000 to 15,000 homes but we have 90,000 more homes that we no need weatherization. We need to bring everybody to the table in order to not have a veto, bring everyone to the table, look at revenue sources, look at priorities, look at the budget and determine as a group of Vermonters how we're going to move forward so that we don't create a plan just to have it not move at the end of the session. And so bringing everyone to the table and a strong voice from all Vermonters is how we will determine where the revenues will come from. Thank you. All right, Steve Crowley with the Sierra Club has our next question. Steve. Great, thank you and welcome to the candidates. My question is about transportation. Transportation accounts for nearly 40% of Vermont's covered emissions. What would be your top strategies for reducing transportation emissions and ultimately reducing vehicle miles traveled? Go ahead, Mr. Kimball. Yeah, thanks for the question. It's a real conundrum in a rural state like Vermont where the public transportation system doesn't reach into the far corners into the smallest towns where people live and sometimes they're commuting incredibly long distances. So I think there's and still part of the solution is going to be in the electrification of our transportation system and establishing a better way to recycle or reuse some of the vehicles. I don't want to talk about being a used car salesperson but in order to work with the people in rural communities that need further financial assistance to purchase electronic vehicles and also establishing those charging stations. I think that is one way that we can address the emissions from the transportation system. As you said, it is 40%. And I think it's 33 or 40% camera in which but it is significant. And I guess one particular path that we can do is make sure that we have a lot of used electric vehicles that are going to be in the hands of the people that are in rural parts of Vermont. Thank you. All right, Ms. Preston. Thank you. This is such an important question. Transportation is Vermont's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions accounting for roughly 40% of Vermont's total emissions. As a rural state, Vermonters largely rely on your personal vehicles for transportation and tend to drive more than the average American. We need to encourage alternative modes of transportation that will reduce these greenhouse gas emissions. For example, we must strengthen our public transportation systems, expand EV infrastructure, and build smart growth in our rural communities. We should continue to invest in infrastructure in our communities that will support sustainable transportation across Vermont as we work towards decreasing our carbon footprint and securing Vermont's place as a leader in renewable energy. Thank you. Ms. Tull. Thank you. Reducing transportation emissions is critical. I think the number's around 43%, which is the majority of all emissions that are going into our atmosphere. We have to do what we've been doing in the budget for many years, more incentives for EVs. We have to, I'm very excited this year that pre-owned cars are now included in that incentive program because it puts it more in reach for Vermonters who cannot afford a new car. Expanding our charging stations either at home and off interstates and in convenient locations so that people know they won't have that anxiety that they can't have their car charged. So we have to expand that. And I cannot say enough about more electric buses for both school buses and for mass transportation. We're seeing these buses now in Chittenden County, Washington County, Rutland County and there's opportunities for more going into Addison Windsor and Orange County. Electric bikes, as we want to put more housing in town centers, we need to do more with electric bikes but there's one statistic I wanna share, lawn mowers. An hour of lawn mowering is like 300 miles in a car. Thank you. Thank you. Next we have Mr. Zuckerman. Well, thank you. I think this is a critical question and I appreciate Charlie, whether it's 34 or 40%, I do think it is the 40. They're both huge and they both need to be addressed. So Charlie, I'm with you. They both matter. I would say that development patterns are critical. Our investment needs to be in affordable small housing in town and village centers because that will enable public transportation to be more efficient. We need to expand and improve microtransit options with better communication systems that we now have. I think a lot of folks have talked about broadband for many years and in these debates, the reality is now because of federal funding, we're gonna be able to install broadband across the state over the next few years. Again, as someone who advocated for the resources to do that years ago, I'm disappointed it's taken this long. And the reason I mentioned that is that all of the things that other folks have mentioned in terms of expanding transit, expanding electric vehicles, recharging stations, it's going to take money. And unless people on this debate and others are willing to talk about finding money or raising money to invest in these things, as I always have, then we are not gonna meet the goals and visions that everybody else has been talking about. Thank you. All right. I'm gonna ask the next question on behalf of Renewable Energy Vermont. Each year, the DPS and the PUC make it costlier and more time consuming for the, for volunteers to access solar power through the net metering program. How would you work to make solar power more accessible to Vermonters? And we're gonna have Ms. Preston start us off. Great. Thank you so much. I think what's really important, I think what's really important is that we have access to these sorts of systems, in particular solar. And I would go on to say that every single renewable energy is important to be investing in. And I think that what I would do is I would spend time really working to provide relief for Vermonters by having incentives that they could access that would make it more accessible for them to actually implement this in their homes. And thank you. I think that that's it. I would have incentive programs for better access. All right, Ms. Tull. Thank you for the question. Solar power is a very important piece of this entire puzzle. And there needs to be more accessibility to it to all Vermonters. And the government has to get involved and government has to lead if we're going to move away from the use of fossil fuels. And solar power is an energy that is here. Sometimes in Vermont, it doesn't feel like we have enough of it. And I know that we've all experienced that, but it's definitely a piece of the pie through incentives in working with our private companies that are throughout Vermont to expand solar capacity and solar capabilities. Agriculture is another area where I think that we can use much more with solar on our barn roofs and in fields that would not compete with forestry, I mean, with farming and with cropping. But government has to be involved. Government has to lead the way. And as your lieutenant governor, solar power would be a piece of the pie. Thank you. All right, Mr. Zuckerman. Well, thank you. I think it's really important to point out. Unfortunately, this governor six times the last six years, his public utilities commission has stood in the way of expanding solar energy by reducing then the payments made that help incentivize installation of solar panels by supporting policies has gotten in the way of expanding both solar panels individually for homes and businesses, as well as larger net metering solar arrays. This governor and others have gotten in the way of those places and there are places in Vermont where wind energy is productive and extremely beneficial to balance solar. We get more wind at night, we get solar during the day for us to truly create a renewable energy structure. We need to make investments in both of those things. We need to recognize that as we electrify, if we don't put some of the generation in our own backyards and take ownership of the reality of electricity, what we are doing is exporting the externalities by having the power plants in the urban cities to our south, primarily in BIPOC and low-income and marginalized communities operate at peak load and pollute the air around our friends and neighbors in the BIPOC and marginalized community in those areas. Are we gonna own our own electricity use? We're gonna take responsibility. Mr. Kimball. Yeah, thank you. I agree that it has to be more localized than the idea of micro grids and the use of battery storage. And our utilities have to be partners at the table in this. Sir Green Mountain Power is certainly the largest utility in the state of Vermont. They have to be a partner at the table and brought to cooperate in many ways and provide some of their financial incentives through the vast resources that they have at their fingertips as well. So I would like to see our utilities involved looking at our battery storage capacity around the state, looking at the micro grid, looking at making it simpler for homeowners so that they can afford to put solar panels on the roof. And there are many programs to either add it to their property tax bill in some places. So it was just a payment over a certain period of time and that goes with the property or is it just part of their utility bill? So many people can't afford to put solar panels up so we have to find ways that are more accessible and easier for people to navigate that. So I would look at access and I'll look at partnerships with the utilities. Thank you. All right, Rights in Democracy has the next question and it comes from Gene Krause of 350 Vermont. Gene, do you wanna ask your questions? Sure, this is Gene Krause. Gene Krause, 350 Vermont is about 5,000 people scattered around the state. We've been actively working for what I'm gonna call a just transition to a carbon-neutral or carbon-free environment. And the just transition is critical. It's critical to us, as you've all said, climate is a crisis for us now, but the cost, both of the impending crisis and of solutions must not be borne by those who have the least capacity to speak up and to be represented. Whether they are within the boundaries of the state of Vermont or not, we need to look for solutions that will reduce carbon produced outside of the state as well as produced inside and that will not unfairly and unjustly impact BIPOC indigenous poor, elderly, disabled citizens. What have any of you done to ensure that the least advantaged among us have an equal access to carbon-free solutions? Thank you, Gene. Thanks, Tol. Thank you, Gene, for the question. It's a very important question. A healthy economy and a clean environment can coexist and it needs to coexist. And that is critical. I think one of the most important pieces of legislation that passed this year was the Environmental Justice Act, which does exactly what you're asking, that there is fair treatment and meaningful involvement with everyone when we're talking about climate change. It's the first time this has happened in this state that we've moved an environmental justice bill. There were only eight states without it, which is surprising that Vermont would be one of them, with Vermont and Maine being the only ones in Massachusetts. One thing that I find very encouraging is with this bill, the money was also identified to support the actions of the bill to create an advisory council so that the concerns of all Vermonters in all parts of Vermont can be elevated and those voices will be heard. It's important that in this environmental justice bill that when policy is implemented and enforced, that it covers all Vermonters and leads nobody behind. And so from the question you asked, this is probably the most important policy piece we could have passed. And I'm pleased Vermont has finally done it. Thank you. Mr. Zuckerman. Well, thank you. A couple of things as I've mentioned in the last question, how we produce our energy and where is directly impactful on the BIPOC community? So speaking out in support of renewable energy distributed throughout Vermont versus exporting our energy impacts onto BIPOC communities in Southern New England is something that I've been very vocal about for a long time. Back in college, I fought against the Hydro-Quebec contract. Frankly, Vermont is the only state in New England that qualifies Hydro-Quebec as a renewable and sustainable and high quality energy when we know that the impact on the indigenous peoples was huge and it's releasing huge amounts of methane gas. I would also say absolutely the environmental justice bill is important. But again, it goes back to putting our money where our mouth is. Where are the resources to help BIPOC individuals have access to own land and get back into the wealth equality that we've been withholding for decades and even centuries of policy. So those are important aspects of things that I would continue to speak out about as well as things that I've done in the past. Thank you. Mr. Kimball. Yeah, thank you for the question. I did vote for the Environmental Justice Act that we passed in this session. And it does really continue the work of the Vermont Climate Council and the Climate Action Plan. It's not enough, it's good, but the actual fulfillment of the plan, the execution of the plan is gonna take, I think three years. So we have to be diligent about making sure that happens. If you look at the Vermont, some of the poorest people are not living in the cities, they're living outside the cities in rural parts of Vermont. And I've been working for six years with a rural caucus inside of the state legislature to say what is it that's going to grow and sustain the economies of people living in rural Vermont? What are the economies that are important there? How can they afford to live there? What are the needs there? And that's what I've been working on diligently as a leader of the rural caucus. And we've invested in a workforce, we've invested in a working lands enterprise board and encourage the Appropriations Committees and the Legislature to support that. So I think you really have to look at how can we make rural parts of Vermont actually thrive economically? That's going to improve the general lot for those folks that are most disadvantaged economically. Thank you. Ms. Preston. Thank you so much for this really important question. As we transform our energy sector and economy, facilitating and inclusive engagement is critical to our path in creating a promising and sustainable future. And as Lieutenant Governor, I will actively support these principles of a just transition. I'm really grateful for the work that is being steward by the Vermont Climate Council and the Just Transitions Subcommittee to ensure the future of our state is not only sustainable, but it is equitable. As Lieutenant Governor, I will advocate and support distributive equity, procedural equity, contextual equity and corrective equity. Future generations of Vermonters are depending on us to meet the goals. And it is critical that we continue to transition from our dependency on fossil fuels to renewable. You've been muted. I'm sorry. We would love to hear what you're saying. How long was I muted for? Just a little bit. Okay, well, I think I was saying if I could, just for future generations of Vermonters are really depending on us to meet the goals. And it's critical that we continue to transition from our dependency on fossil fuels to renewable and sustainable resources to provide clear pathways forward for all communities to have a voice in our policy creation and implementation. Thank you. I hear about that. Beeperg is next. Jordan Heiden, because you asked your question. Yes, thank you. So again, my name is Jordan and I am the Keep Vermont Cool Campaign Manager at Beeperg. And we know that winters are getting warmer and summers are getting hotter and that climate change is impacting everything that we know and love about Vermont, including the great outdoors and our favorite outdoor activities. But even with this knowledge and the increasing pressure on elected officials to do more for climate, we see that meaningful political action continues to be delayed. So my question is, how can we get more of Vermonters engaged in this work and raise the significance of this issue? So elected officials will have no choice but to take action. All right, Mr. Zacharman. Thank you, Jordan. That's a great question. As a farmer, I have very much experienced those warmer winters and hotter summers. We've already used a third of our pond water just this spring with the dry weather before the recent rain. With respect to your question, the other day I was at a 350 Vermont event and the state house steps with moms coming out to speak against the war and for environmental justice. And I spoke with a woman who really didn't know the best way to contact their legislator and influence the process. And we chatted for about 15 minutes and she walked away incredibly enthusiastic and excited about how to engage in the process. This is something I've done for 20 years and did as lieutenant governor, traveling the state with town halls and provocative movie series, bringing people into the political process so that people's voices can have more influence than lobbyist voices, no offense to the good organizations on this call. The reality is we need more people engaging in the process with your knowledge and your passion and your fight for this so that the policymakers will go farther. I've often stuck my neck out on issues. My colleagues are not always ready to do it. With more people engaged, we will go farther faster. Thank you. All right, Mr. Kimball. Thank you. I think we all struggle with how to get people to pay attention as politicians to try to pay attention. Listen, this is important. And for people that don't think that it is, it's really hard to shake them up a little bit until it affects them personally. So I think the clean heat standard, although it was imperfect in how complicated in the credit structure would have affected Vermonters in the sense that they would have been either paying more for their fuel oil or they would have been contacted to try to reduce the amount of fuel oil that they were burning by weatherizing their homes or moving to other heat sources. And that is really what motivates a lot of people is how it's going to affect them in the pocketbook. So I think coming up with a more straightforward implication to tie people to, this is the price that you have to pay in order to reduce carbon emissions across the state is the only way that you get more people to the table. Ms. Preston. This is a really exciting question for me because this is what I've been doing for the last decade. And I see the role of the Lieutenant Governor as one that is really full of possibility and opportunity to bring people together across the state to address our most pressing issues. On day one as Lieutenant Governor, I will hit the ground running and I'm really determined to inspire lasting change in our state. And that includes putting renewable energy at the forefront to make sure that we can build a sustainable future. I also plan to strengthen our rural communities by supporting the expansion of high speed internet. And I also wanna expand workforce development opportunities to address the shrinking workforce specifically focused on building a green economy. And it's what my work has been rooted in. It's what I've been doing for the last decade. And I plan on to continue doing that as Lieutenant Governor by elevating the voices of room owners and bringing people together. So I'm actually very excited to step into that role and look at it as an extension of what I'm currently doing actually. It's tall. Thank you. We know our winters are shorter. They're four degrees warmer over the last 50 years. Our summers are longer. They're two degrees warmer over the last 50 years. We're seeing this trend summer days that we used to see only a few 87 degree, 90 degree summer days. By 2099 we're forecasted to see at least 20 of those extreme heat days. Information and education is going to help change this. The misinformation out there is really is stopping us from moving forward. I was recently on the campaign trail and was talking to someone about climate change. And it was a young person and they told me, we have done a lot to stop emissions from going into the atmosphere. We can actually put in more now. And I just didn't know how to respond for a couple of seconds. And that was coming from the clean heat standard conversation we were having. But when there's information out there that we can actually afford to put more emissions into our atmosphere, we have a lot to do in our schools and in our educational system and in the tech system to prepare young Vermonters to work in the green industry and understand the path that's forward. Thank you, Rinstall. Thank you. All right, the next question is coming from Renewable Energy Vermont. And it is, to help Vermont meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, how would you work to end the Scott administration's de facto ban on new wind projects? And Mr. Kimball, you're up. Well, I'm not gonna be the best candidate to answer this, I'll be quite blunt. And it's the permitting process of the new wind projects in which we have neighbors put it against neighbors. And we allow the courts to then decide on the issues. But I'll be honest, I need to learn more about it. And I'm not gonna just try to tow the line and tell you that I have the answer. I don't have the answer. And I would like to learn more about it from the organization that asked the question. And I'd be happy to go forward in that educational environment. Thank you. Ms. Preston. Thank you for this question. Actually, I saw David Blittersurf's question down in the comment section earlier. So I appreciate this question coming up here. And I wanna make it very clear that I am committed to securing Vermont's place as a national leader in renewable energy. And in order to do this, we must transform our energy sector. And we need to reduce our carbon footprint, which means we have to expand the production of wind production, the production and creation of wind production. And as David mentioned earlier, it's not viable in every location, but it is viable. And I think that the growing divisions in our political process have slowed and halted progress from being made, particularly when it comes to making progress on wind and solar development. We will accomplish this. So we will accomplish the goal if we are able to bring communities of people together and really look at and discuss this critical work. And we have to, as I've said earlier today, we have to ensure all voices are being heard in this process. And as we move forward on expanding renewable energy, communities that will be impacted by this expansion will be a part of the conversation. Thank you. Ms. Tol. We know there's a lot of controversy over wind projects and they have worked in some areas and they have really become the battle zone in other areas. And so wind projects need to continue and be built where they are appropriate, where they are the best fit and where we don't destroy communities, pegging family against family and neighbor against neighbor. There has to be a dialogue and a plan for where wind is appropriate. We must move away from fossil fuels. Wind would be a piece of the puzzle, it is not the entire puzzle. And so I think that we have to continue working with our planning and zoning boards, where wind is appropriate, how we would zone for them, how we do not destroy the tops and mountain tops and where I live, that was a big issue for many Vermonters in my area. Personally, I want to explore offshore wind. I know we're not sitting on the shores of any ocean, but offshore wind is an exploration that I think will have a lot of benefit in the future and I think it's being underutilized and that is an area that I would like to see more generation. Thank you. Mr. Zacharman. Thank you. I supported wind turbines on Lake Champlain years and years ago. I don't know that that's the perfect place scientifically, but as a concept, I supported that. I do support wind where it works in Vermont, which to reduce people's fears is not every single ridgeline in Vermont. That's hyperbole that happens when we talk about wind. I do think it's important to really discuss whether or not those people that are impacted by wind turbines very close to their homes get compensated for that, get support to move and relocate because unfortunately if we don't produce energy here, we're putting that onto the backs of people elsewhere and we're not taking responsibility for what we do. Wind is an incredible resource. In Burlington, 10% of the energy comes from just four turbines in Georgia on top of the mountain. Literally two more would add 5% more to the energy mix for Burlington. It's very feasible to make a big impact with a few turbines and a few locations. So I think it's really important that we explore it. We do it appropriately, but it was the legislature as well as the governor that it put in place the policies that have stopped wind. Thank you. All right, Steve Crawley. It's your club's turn again. Do you have a question? Great, thank you very much. Thanks all for your great answer so far. Just a question about bioenergy. At a smaller scale, at a smaller Vermont scale, some forms of bioenergy like biodiesel from waste oil or wood pellets to heat schools really can be a sustainable energy solution. But a full scale and joining the national or global bioenergy economy, we're headed towards a planet-wide disaster. Just today, New York Times heard a story about the European Union reconsidering its commitments to bioenergy in light of poor carbon accounting and ecosystem damage. How would you pursue limiting bioenergy use to sustainable scale? This question. Thank you very much for this question. I'll start by saying that I believe that I'm the best candidate to serve for the lieutenant governor because I am part of the next generation starting to step up to serve and lead for the future so that all other generations can thrive. The effects of climate change have rippled across Vermont and Vermonters livelihoods, communities, and economy. In fact, another study I think was in 2021, the Vermont climate assessment found that the state average annual temperature has warmed nearly two degrees and precipitation has increased 21% since 1900. And while the climate crisis has brought real challenges, I also believe that there's a window of opportunity to build a more promising and sustainable future. I plan to encourage smart growth by expanding renewable energy production from solar to wind and growing a green jobs economy and workforce. This critical work requires a just transition to ensure an equitable process in which all voices are really brought to the table to discuss this transformation of our energy sector. And as the next lieutenant governor of Vermont, I will take action to ensure that our state is at the forefront of these renewable energies and that we develop sustainable economy that works for everyone. Thank you. We're gonna move on to Ms. Cole. Thank you for the question about biofuels. It's another one of those topics that certainly has people on both sides. We know there's trade-offs with almost everything that we do in state government and trade-offs and everything that we do in life. And I think that we have to weigh the pros and cons with biofuel. And is it a bridge that we use until we have more sustainable renewable sources in place? Is it another piece of the pie? And I think as we move away from fossil fuels, we have to consider everything as a bridge until we get to the best renewable sources that we can have. With biofuels, we know that there's environmental impacts. It can destroy forests. It can move people off the lands. We've heard about increased pricing, but then you hear the positives, that there's energy efficiency here, which we know that there is, and there's a less dependency on foreign oil, which we definitely wanna move away from. And so I would say it's a consideration. It's a piece of the pie. It's a bridge. It's a trade-off until we get to the renewable energy that we want that we can just move away from. Thank you. Mr. Zacharman. For Iris, I just wanna mention that because Dan hasn't been spotlighted, he's floated off the screen, so we don't see the time clock running, or at least I don't. So I don't know if that's something your administrators can do. So maybe I've used up my time, but I apologize. With respect to biofuels, I think there's a few things. I don't consider anything called renewable natural gas, even though that is energy from the gas that comes out of biofuels from landfills. It's still a fossil fuel-based product from the inputs into those landfills. So I think we need to reserve the word renewable for things that really are regenerative and renewable truly over time. One of the issues I had with the clean heat bill, and I did support the bill, I do think it was steps in the right direction, is that it also incentivized more practices that do develop energy from otherwise impactful systems. So we need to be careful to just lump biofuels in as a renewable energy source. I will probably never run for president because in Iowa, for instance, they grow tons of corn to turn into ethanol. Well, the energy that goes in is commensurate with the energy that comes out, if not a negative. So that's an important issue is to make sure we talk about biofuels in a realistic way, and that we really tackle our climate and energy issues with bold steps, as I've talked about with investments, which is a bold step itself, because it means taxes, and most people are unwilling to talk about that. Mr. Kimball. Yeah, thank you for that. I first was in the legislature, I was very interested in anaerobic digesters, and I visited a couple to see how we could use that form of waste and that form of composting, essentially to generate energy that seemed like a win-win-win. But it does have its side effects, obviously, but some of the farms are using anaerobic digesters are using even some of the outputs, some of the byproducts for bedding for their cows. So it's not a perfect solution, but it's a really good solution in that form of energy development. But also in terms of the biofuels, whenever you're talking about how do you affect the use or limiting bio diesel or biofuels, I think is what you were asking. The question is, do you do that through regulation? Do you do that through financial incentives or penalties? And I think in evaluating any of those, you have to look at the unintended consequences of what we're doing with that. So as lieutenant governor, as a legislator currently, I always look at the policy to figure out, well, what is the unintended consequences? We really want to have reduction, but what is going out the other end of the balloon? So that's what I would be focusing on. Thank you. All right. Lauren Hurl with the Vermont Conservation Voters. It's your turn. Great, thanks so much, Iris. And thank you all for being here this evening. My question is, given the unique role of the lieutenant governor, what are some specific examples of actions you plan to take as lieutenant governor to actively help advance the successful and equitable implementation of the policies and investments identified in the state's climate action plan? Thanks. All right, Ms. Toll. Thank you. As lieutenant governor, I think I could bring a unique skills to that office. Two skills that I think are very important to move ahead with any policy or understanding the state budget. And I chaired the state budget committee for four years and I understand how the funding streams work, how priorities have determined where monies are spent and where monies have not been spent. And I would bring a strong voice from former Monters to have their priorities interjected into the budget. And I think that that's an important skill that I could bring. I also have a long history of bringing people together. My budgets always left the House Appropriations Committee on unanimous votes. And it's important to have everybody at the table, everybody to have their fingerprints on a document and to understand and have the correct information. And those are things that I would use the office for. I would use the office for information gathering and for fact-finding and to bring people together and understand where the money will come from in the budget. Thank you. Mr. Zacharman. Well, thank you. I think this is a really good question with respect to what the strengths and opportunities of the office are. One of the key provisions of being lieutenant governor is making the committee assignments. Who's on the Natural Resources and Energy Committee? Who's on the Economic Development Committee? Who's on the Appropriations Committee? In order to build the pipelines for those bills which start in policy committees often go through the Budget Committee and the Finance Committee because there's gonna be new resources asked for by the Appropriations Committee who makes up the Finance Committee matters. So being lieutenant governor, the most powerful thing you can do has to do with influencing who's on each committee. Secondly, again, I have a long track record of bringing people in from outside the building to meet with both legislators and colleagues and other advocates who are on the same page as well as those that need to be convinced. And doing that with my connections all across the state, I believe I'm uniquely positioned from my years of service both as a legislator and as lieutenant governor to make sure that people's voices are elevated. I've done work with the environmental communities and probably out of time. Got it. I saw you Iris, sorry, thanks. Thank you, Mr. Kimball. Thank you. I think the one advantage of the office of lieutenant governors, you do have a bit of a bully pulpit and you might not have as much legislative authority as you do as a member of the legislature but you do have a bully pulpit from which to really call out when things are being followed, when they're being implemented and the ability to bring people together. I've often said I wanted to be a lieutenant governor to really focus on workforce development. For me, that is a critical need. If we're trying to really weatherize 120,000 homes as has been stated before, 90,000, 120,000, we don't have the workforce to do it. The most that we're doing right now is about 1,500 homes a year. Now we have this incredible slug of money without the workforce to be able to do that. So we need to have a better workforce development system to provide the skills necessary to get the work done. And that's one of the things that's been a priority of mine and the legislature would be by priority of mine in the lieutenant governor's office. Thank you. Yes, Preston. I see the role of lieutenant governor as one that will move our state forward on what unites us. I will do, just as I said earlier, what I've been doing for the last decade in the Vermont council on world affairs, I will bring people together across the state to take action on climate action. On day one as lieutenant governor, I will begin by bringing Vermonters together across the state to address or to build consensus and make progress on climate issues. I will make our state a leader in renewable energy to build a sustainable future. I will work to transform our energy sector by expanding wind and solar production. I will expand workforce development opportunities to address our shrinking workforce, particularly when it comes to building a green economy pipeline. I will equip Vermonters with the tools and resources they need or at least support the services that will do that. We can and we must lead on climate action. And by working together, we will protect our planet for future generations. Thank you. All right. The next question comes from Renewable Energy Vermont and it is, as Vermont moves to electrify everything, would you commit to doubling to 20% the amount of in-state renewable energy Vermont uses to supply its electric sector? Why or why not? And we'll start with Mr. Zuckerman. Well, I hope at this point, it's pretty clear that I would support that. I've made it clear that exporting our energy production to other communities, whether it be hydrocombat to our North or urban communities to our South disproportionately affects marginalized communities. I think we need to really expand renewable energy in Vermont with state investments to make it so that Vermonters don't bear the burdens. Everyday working class Vermonters in particular don't bear the burden of increased cost as we move towards an energy system that does not destroy our future. I think this is true in energy. I think it's got to be true in our agricultural sector so we can sequester carbon and make sure food is still available at an affordable price for Vermonters. And so, yes, doubling it to 20% and even more is where I would stand. We need a plan to just keep going up with respect to the energy that we produce in our own backyards, taking responsibility for our own impacts and making it possible for Vermonters to have warm homes and safe homes for their future. All right, Mr. Kimball. I think one of the most important things is to make sure that we agree on how we account for it. And I was down at a major solar installation outside of Ludlow and looking at the acres and acres of solar panels there that were in the renewable energy credits were going to investors in Connecticut. So the question is, who gets that energy? How do you account for it? So there has to be a better way that we agree to how to account for it. The energy is being generated and is it being consumed here? And as explained, oh, those are just electrons. So, yeah, they're using it over to chemo to make snowling. Okay, maybe. So I think the accounting of how you generate the electricity and where it's used is key. One of the best things we can do is to say onsite is the energy generated onsite and is it used onsite? And I'd like to see more accounting for that. And I think if we go back to solar energy with also battery storage onsite that is powering the electric cars that are fueled from that battery, from the solar panel and the home, I think that's where we really need to move is that really self-contained unit to the extent possible. Thank you. All right, Ms. Preston. Great, thank you. I will start by saying that I think that it's just vital that we expand our renewable energy sector and that we bring experts to the table in partnership with our community leaders, organizations and residents across Vermont to turn our vision of building a sustainable future into a reality. And this is what I've been doing at the Vermont Council on World Affairs for a decade. I've been bringing the voices together of these experts from different sectors to help build consensus and move us forward in the progress that we need. I am deeply committed to this work and I will continue to advocate for a greener and more equitable Vermont once I'm in the office of Lieutenant Governor. Thank you. Yes, Tom. Thank you. Support it, yes, support to the initiative and 20% and beyond. Charlie brought up one important thing. He talked about battery storage. And as we continue to create more of our own renewable energy, we have to really expand battery storage for the future. I think that's important. But with all renewable energy, Vermont has to be a leader and we can be a leader for the rest of the country and how we use our own power and manufacture our own power and how we supply our own grid and use incentives so that individual homes that don't have the electric panels that are capable to take on new renewable power, all of this, we have to be the leader for the rest of the country. And so, yes, I would support the 20% and beyond but I wanna emphasize battery storage, it's key and also the upgrades that are needed in order for all Vermont homes and all Vermont families to use renewable energy. It can't be just for a few. Thank you. Okay. Ali Breyer with Rights in Democracy, you're next. Can you share your question, please? Great, thank you and thank you all for being here. The climate is in crisis, as we all know and we need action now. What would be your theory of change on getting real climate action that prioritizes environmental justice in Vermont and what will it take to get the policies we need? Mr. Kimball. Thank you, thanks for the question, the theory of change and how do you go from this carbon environment into a non-carbon environment and how do you build awareness, get the legislation you need, how do you create actual strategic steps to implement the new and I think that's where you're going with us and environmental justice is certainly part of it to make sure that it's not unfairly on the backs of those that are disadvantaged whether they're poor or bi-poor and it's a careful process that for every action there is a reaction or an unintended consequence and we have to be very cognizant of that when we're making policy at the state level. Because we don't actually know just from the looks of a good idea, we have to consider it. Spent my time in the legislature diving deep into policy and diving deep into some of the nuances of policy to make sure that we're doing the best job that we possibly can for Vermonters. So I'd say that the first things to do in the theory of change is to drive that awareness. You and I talked about, or I'm sorry, I mentioned before about- Thank you so much. Yes, thank you, sorry. We're gonna move on to Ms. Preston. Yeah, bye. Great, thank you. I'll start by saying that I'm running for Vermont's, to be the Vermont's next lieutenant governor because I believe that Vermont is state, is a state full of possibility. The possibility of building a future in which our planet is healthy for future generations and where our agricultural sector is strong and Vermont is a leader in renewable energy. The possibility to create lasting and meaningful change on climate action is in our hands and we right now have a window of opportunity to act. And I'm ready to bring my experience as a proven consensus builder to the office of lieutenant governor to build bridges across Vermont and deliver lasting results from expanding our renewable energy production, supporting a just transition to reduce our carbon footprint and building a green jobs workforce that is equipped for the future. For all of these reasons, under my leadership as lieutenant governor, we will not look to the past and instead we're going to look to the future to find solutions to create lasting change together on climate action. Thank you. Ms. Toll. Thank you. It's a great question. We are in a climate crisis. How to, the theory of change, how do we move away from this climate crisis? My answer is education, education, and some more education and starting the earlier the better. We need to be doing more in our schools early on so that the children experience and understand what is happening to the environment but also understanding the good of renewable energy resources and things, small things that they can do within their own family and larger things that have to be led by state government. So our schools are going to be a critical piece in this as well as government leading the charge and doing the work that we need to. Our technical centers, we need to be offering as much training as we can to offer green jobs. The jobs, they're going to be there in the future and they're there now and we need to be prepared for them. And so I'm putting it all around education and information. Thank you. Mr. Zuckerman. Thank you. I really appreciate that prior answer. I do think our technical schools are really important with helping people get the training they need for a lot of the electrical work, for instance, and plumbing work and other jobs that are going to be related to a greener climate and more efficient homes and solar installation. But I want to go somewhere else on two things. One is our young people know, I do think we need to do education around facts and figures, but in people's guts, hearts, and minds, young people are well aware of the climate crisis in front of us and it's our job to do the action to make the changes that need to happen. I also want to really bring the issue of the climate future back to the root of much of where this comes from, which is economic injustice. Without dealing with economic injustice and inequities that are in our society, people don't have the resources to do the investments needed in their own lives around the environment. People, if they don't have the resources to put food on their table, are gonna then keep pointing fingers at others and deal with a lot of our racial injustice that happens. So we have to combine the reality of our climate justice issues with our economic injustice and social injustice issues. And if we don't time together, we're not gonna succeed. Thank you. All right, V. Perg's Marcy Gallagher has the next question. Hi there, Marcy Gallagher. I advocate in the state house for V. Perg. And I have seen firsthand the outside influence that the fossil fuel industry has in Montpelier and even as gas prices are going up, which is obviously hurting many Vermonters in their pocket books, the oil and gas companies are still reaping record profits and squashing even really modest efforts to reduce our greenhouse gas pollution. So my question is this, what legislation would you support to limit the influence of the fossil fuel industry in Montpelier? This question. Sorry, trying to hit the unmute button. So I wanna start by saying that we have to transition away from fossil fuels and lead and building a sustainable future. And unfortunately, expanding renewable energy and decreasing our carbon footprint has become increasingly politicized in these divisions. And I think that it's really, I would focus on the environmental justice bill, which is a significant first step forward in the path to creating a just and equitable process to the way our government operates. And for far too long, those in the BIPOP community, those who have lower incomes and those whose first language is not English have not been afforded a seat at the table on policy, particularly on issues that impact their day-to-day lives. And we know that the impact of climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable and underserved communities. And a recent study actually at the University of Vermont, they found that people who do not identify as white are seven times more likely than white residents to report going without heat. Mobile home parks make up about 7% of the housing stock in Vermont, but they're 40% of where the damage of tropical storm arenas. So I would focus on that, Bill. Thank you very much. Ms. Toll. Thank you for the question. When it comes to any groups that come into the legislature or present themselves to people individually, it's important that you're not swayed by anyone's information. You, every individual, whether you're a representative, the governor, the lieutenant governor, or a senator or anybody in public service, you have to do the good work and get the real information and hear from all sides and sift through the things that people want you to hear to what the real meaning is. And that is what the word politician is often negative, but that is what a politician has to do. They have to sift through all the information and not be swayed by any individual or any group. And good policy is developed when all the information is at the table, all people are brought to the table and decisions are made together. And that's what I have done and that's what I would continue to do. Any industry limitations would go into areas that we wouldn't want. And so I think we have to do the hard work ourselves. Thank you. Mr. Isaacerman. Well, thank you. First, I don't think we can limit anyone's voice. That is a freedom of expression fundamental in our society. However, there are policies we could pass with public financing so that those voices are not louder in the election process with respect to funding some candidates over others. I've never taken a corporate donation in 25 years of running for office and I never will. And that was because I was inspired by Bernie not to be influenced by those kinds of donations. But also in office, one of the things I did was I created a youth advocacy packet. And I took that all over the state and talked with young people about how they can have a voice in the system even if they don't yet have a vote in the system. And of course, I was disappointed in the governor's veto of that bill as well even for local policy decisions. One of the things I've told a lot of young people is that when they send an email to a legislator it doesn't tell how old they are. So you can write and have a voice and that legislator ought to respond respectfully to you regardless of whether you're a registered voter. So lastly, real quickly, I've sent out a newsletter all across the state to bring public voices into the process to outweigh the oil interest. Thank you. Mr. Kimball. I just want to say that it was great to have lobbyists back in the building this year so we can actually talk to people about questions on policy. So thank you for being back with us in the state house. I have to agree with David in the sense that you can't limit what people's vote voice but the simple answer to it is we have a lot of disclosure requirements for lobbyists and those are made public and those are certainly out there for people to see and also for politicians to have to disclose when they receive any kind of gifts from lobbyists. But the second thing is to make sure that the lobbyists don't have undue influences vote for the people that won't be influenced that way. I mean, ultimately is that you really have to make sure that the candidate that you're voting for has that credibility and integrity that they're going to look at both sides of the issue and not be easily swayed or influenced by one particular thing. So I would say it's really up to the voters to pick the candidate but up to the candidate to be responsible and accountable to the voters. All right. Thank you all. That concludes this section of our forum and we're going to have to move on to closing statements. So if you would be each, I want to thank the co-hosting organizations, Rights in Democracy, Renewable Energy, Vermont, the Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club, Vermont Conservation Voters and VPIRG and I want to thank our candidates, our viewers. Can also thank the candidates by adding a comment in the chat. We appreciate your time, viewpoints and commitments to this state. And finally, I want to remind people that next Wednesday at six, we will be hosting a similar climate forum with the candidates for U.S. Congress and you can RSEV VP in a link that we're going to put in the chat. And we're going to do closing statements that are one minute long and we're going to go in reverse alphabetical order. And I'd like to have you all try and highlight what makes you the best candidate for people who are voting on climate. Mr. Mizakaman, you're first. You're muted. You wouldn't mind no muted. Hopefully I get a restart on the clock. My apologies. Thank you everyone. For me, addressing the climate crisis is about more than just investing in renewable energy and transitioning away from fossil fuels. It's about more than weatherizing homes and electrifying vehicles. Addressing the climate crisis is only possible if we address environmental justice at the same time. Environmental justice is about recognizing the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis and the extractive practices and what they've had on our marginalized communities. We must work towards a future that is both sustainable and equitable. It's about making sure that those who have suffered an undue burden from the effects of climate change are not charged with fixing the problems they did not create. It's about treating our planet and neighbors with dignity and the respect they deserve. With both, it's about nurturing health and bolstering vitality while appreciating the natural beauty that each possess. Fighting the climate crisis is the most important issue of our time. I have a proven track record of being effective as your lieutenant governor, as a state senator and state representative. And as your next lieutenant governor, I promise to continue to fight alongside all of you for climate justice. I hope I've earned your vote. Thank you so much for this opportunity this evening and thanks to the hosts. This tall. Thank you. Thank you for having me this evening to talk about these vital issues. I'm running for lieutenant governor because I care deeply about the future our children will inherit. Addressing the climate crisis is critical to leaving a healthy thriving planet for generations to come. We have to get the climate response right. Our economy, our planet and our very future depends on it. With unprecedented federal dollars available, this is our one shot to turn an environmental crisis into an economic opportunity and to show the rest of the country how it can be done. I believe my experience is building and managing the state budget and always working with people regardless of party to get the job done, make me uniquely qualified to help lead Vermont's fight against climate change. Thank you for the opportunity to deliver my vision for a brighter and more sustainable future. I hope you will join our campaign to create a better Vermont and a better future for all of us. And thank you for all of you who sponsored this event tonight. I appreciate it. Yes, Preston. We need leadership in Montpelier. That not only takes action but is looking to the future to ensure all generations can grow and thrive in our state. As a leader of a non-partisan organization, I'm in a unique position to deliver results that incorporate the voices of all Vermonters so we can combat the climate crisis and build a just and sustainable future. I am not your typical politician and I am not looking to the past to find solutions. On day one, as Lieutenant Governor, I will bring new energy to Montpelier and move Vermont forward on what unites us. I will bring people together across the state to find common ground and deliver solutions. If we take bold actions, we can build an economy that creates opportunities for all Vermonters. If we engage in civil discourse, we can find that there is more that unites us than divides us. And if we believe in leadership that is equipped for the future, we will fulfill the promise of Vermont. I'm asking you to join our campaign today by visiting our website patriciofervermont.com, donate, sign up to get involved in IRS. Thank you so much for being such a wonderful moderator. It was a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you. Mr. Kimball. Yes, thank you, Iris. Great job and wonderful to be with a group tonight and the questions I thought were very well thought out. So I've been focused as a candidate for the Lieutenant Governor on workforce development. And I really think a practical solution to how we're going to address some of our largest challenges and reducing our greenhouse gases is to have a workforce that's prepared to do weatherization of our homes, as well as extend broadband even to every premise so that people can earn a living and interact in the world from rural Vermont. So I've also focused on rural Vermont as being a key component. And that is to keep our working landscape and those rural communities vibrant. That is why I think keeping those rural Vermont actively involved in the growing sustained economy is one of the key issues of protecting our climate and our environment in the state of Vermont. Third is making the difficult decisions. Difficult decisions mean that the folks that are using more fossil fuels eventually are gonna have to pay for it and they're gonna have to pay more so that they are incented to pursue a different action. When it comes right down to it and driving attention to this issue for those that will deny that there's a problem or don't wanna participate is gonna have to cost the money. Thank you, I appreciate the participation tonight. Thank you, and that concludes tonight's forum. I wanna again just thank all of our co-hosting organizations, Rights in Democracy, Renewable Energy, Vermont, the Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club, Vermont Conservation Voters and VPIRG and as well as all of our candidates. Thank you so much. I'm sorry if I had to cut you off and I really hope to see you again next Wednesday at 6 p.m. for the similar climate forum with the candidates for US Congress. And with that, thank you again and have a good evening.