Town Meeting Day Election Forums: Community Discussion: Vote No on Ballot Question No. 2 (Carbon Impact Fee)

Description

From the organizer:

Please vote no on Ballot Item No 2. in order to reject incentives for polluting, destructive and false climate solutions.

The question asks voters to allow the City to impose a fee on new buildings and large, existing commercial and industrial buildings that install fossil fuel rather than renewable heating for the stated purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The question does not inform voters that the City considers renewable heating to include systems fueled by wood, including wood burned in the McNeil plant which the City proposes to retrofit to supply steam heat to the University of Vermont Medical Center, the UVM campus and the Intervale Center. The question also does not inform voters that the City considers renewable heating systems to include systems fueled by "renewable" gas and biodiesel. Because all three of these "renewable" fuel sources would not be subject to the fee, imposing a fee on fossil fuel heating systems would incentivize them. Incentivizing these types of carbon-intensive, polluting "renewable" fuel sources would increase greenhouse gas emissions, adversely impact public health, and impair forest biodiversity.

Proponents of this question will tell you that this project has nothing to do with the McNeil Generating Station, but the carbon impact fee as written represents a last ditch effort to make the proposed district energy project economically viable after repeated attempts to advance the project have been rejected due to a lack of financial viability. Burning wood emits more carbon dioxide per unit of energy produced than burning fossil fuels, emits other air pollutants harmful to human health, and causes destruction and impairment of the biodiversity of our forests. The McNeil plant is the largest stationary source of greenhouse gas and other harmful air pollutants in Vermont. Rather than prop-up the plant, the City should begin planning for the retirement of the aging, polluting plant.

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