(by Josh Schlossberg, Transition Town Montpelier, East Montpelier - March 17, 2010)
Now is the Time for Small Hydro & More
Editor:
Vermonters in favor of clean, renewable, zero-waste energy have an unprecedented opportunity in the wake of the legislature’s historic vote to let Vermont Yankee’s license expire. There has never been a better—or more crucial—time for our state to emerge as a leader in appropriately-sited solar, wind, and small hydro-electric, ensuring energy security, jobs, and a healthy environment for Vermonters.
According to Community Hydro’s Lori Barg: “As recently as the 1940's, Vermont got over 90% of its power from in-state hydro—keeping jobs and energy dollars in-state.” Barg claims Vermont has up to 400 megawatts of “environmentally sound, undeveloped hydroelectric potential”—and here’s the most important part—“without building a single new dam.” Despite this low-hanging fruit, only one new hydro project has moved forward in Vermont in the past twenty years.
Now is the time to contact your elected officials to let them know appropriately-sited small hydro, along with solar and wind, is the way for Vermont to truly live up to its green image and lead the rest of the nation in developing clean, renewable energy sources.
To learn more about Vermont’s potential for small hydro, come hear Lori Barg on Thursday, March 18 from 6-8pm at the Kellogg-Hubbard library in Montpelier, as a part of Transition Town Montpelier’s spring speaker series.
