Monday, April 27, 2009

April Meeting Summary

We are very excited to see the continued interest in the RRPC Energy Committee's work. At the April meeting, our commissioners were joined by representatives from the Rutland Energy Committee, Rutland Redevelopment Authority and Tinmouth Energy Committee, as well as citizens from the towns of Wallingford and City of Rutland.

Eric Mach began the meeting with a round of introductions and approval of the meeting notes from the March meeting.

Staff members Susan Schreibman and Sara Gilbert briefly introduced the Way to Go! Program and explained that there are four local sponsors of the event (see instructions below), and passed out informational packets to the commissioners. Several commissions and guests also agreed to contact area businesses and organizations, such as Community College of Vermont, Rutland Regional Medical Center, Hubbardton Forge, the Rutland Free Library, the Towns of Pawlet and Sudbury, the Rutland State Office Building, the Killington Planning Commission, the Curbstone Chorus, area Rotary Clubs, and the Unitarian Universalist Church in Rutland. Commissioners also planned to spread the word at Green-Up Day events.

Guest Speaker

Deb Sachs, Director, Community Climate Action and 10% Challenge Program

Way to Go! Program

The committee was very pleased to welcome Deb Sachs as our guest speaker. Deb presented a brief history of the Way to Go! Program, which is in its 14th year (under various names). The program is made possible through partnerships with state and local level partner non-profits, as well as through collaboration with businesses around the state.

Deb gave several examples of businesses that are participating in the program:

  • Merchants Bank is a participating sponsor. Lack of parking spaces caused them to incentivize commuting options such as carpooling, taking the bus, walking and biking.
  • Ben and Jerry’s used a large map to help employees form carpools by indicating their origin towns on the map.
  • Businesses encouraging healthier commuting patterns have even seen lower insurance premiums as a result.

Deb shared some key facts that demonstrate the need to encourage healthier commuting patterns:

  • Almost half of greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont are from transportation, there for transportation solutions will be a key aspect of our overall effort to decrease pollution.
  • There is a growing demand for annual vehicle miles traveled in Vermont: the average Vermonter drives 17,000 miles per year.
  • The cost of car ownership and operation can be up to $5,000-$6,000 per year.

This year, the Way to Go! Program has added a Community Challenge. Merchants Bank is sponsoring a bike rack, which will go to the winning community. Deb encouraged the commissioners to get their selectboards to declare Way to Go! Week, passing around a sample Community Proclamation, which can also be downloaded from the web.

To wrap up the presentation, Deb took questions from commissioners and guests, who debated the pros and cons of alternative commuting patterns and explained specific challenges. Staff members at the meeting spoke in favor of changing behavior patterns in order to commute in a healthier way at least some of the time. Deb commented that even if a person is able to commute for only day a week, that saves them up to 20% of their commuting cost!

At the end of the meeting, several commissioners indicated an interest in signing up for the program and telling their communities about it.

Upcoming Meetings Schedule

  • May 19th - Efficiency Vermont and Geographic Targeting in the Rutland Region. Bob Murphy of Efficiency Vermont will explain their outreach efforts in the Rutland area.
  • June 16th - topic to be announced!


Resources


Thanks to the Town of Shrewsbury for posting a link to Way to Go! on the town’s webpage!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Getting Around Portland, OR

The Rutland Regional Planning Commission's recent blog post "Getting Around Portland, OR" takes the reader on a short, illustrated tour of alternative transportation options in Portland.

Read the article here.

Douglas, officials spar over energy plan: Rutland Herald Online

This morning's Herald reports:

"Gov. James Douglas started his Earth Day on Wednesday morning by honoring Vermonters who plant trees with a special proclamation during a ceremony on the Statehouse lawn.

Thirty minutes later, the Republican governor stood in his ceremonial Statehouse office and explained to reporters exactly why he opposed a major renewable-energy bill supported by environmental groups that was on track to be approved by the Vermont House...."

Read the whole article:
Douglas, officials spar over energy plan: Rutland Herald Online

What do you think? Post your comments below!

Posted using ShareThis

Friday, April 17, 2009

Renewable Energy on Contaminated Sites

DOE Webcast April 22 for State and Local Officials: Renewable Energy on Contaminated Lands

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Technical Assistance Project (TAP) for state and local officials is offering a webcast on how to develop renewable energy projects on contaminated or old industrial sites, also known as "brownfields." The presentation will take place Wednesday, April 22, from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, and is titled "Taking it from Brown to Green: Renewable Energy on Contaminated Lands."

In addition to learning how to identify brownfield sites where renewable energy projects are feasible, you will hear about case studies in the Southwest and learn about tools that support project development. Finally, you will be able to ask questions of the presenters and interact with them after the event on the TAP webcast Blog.

The presenters will be Otto VanGeet and Misty Conrad from DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Brian K. Johnson from the New Mexico Energy Conservation and Management Division, and Pam Swingle from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 Office of Pollution Prevention and Innovation in Atlanta, Georgia.

The webcast is free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain the URL for the presentation and call-in phone number. You can register online, find more information about the presenters, and read background materials and reports on the TAP Webcast section of the DOE Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program Web site.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Regional Energy Committee

The RRPC Energy Committee will hold its monthly meeting next Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at the Asa Bloomer Building in Rutland, VT.

The April meeting will focus on transportation and energy efficiency.

Quick fact:
According to the 2005-2007 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates, 79% of workers in Rutland County commuted to work by driving alone. The average commuting time was 19 minutes.

Come to the meeting and learn about how your business, community or school can compete in the Way to Go! Commuter Challenge (read more!). The program challenges Vermonters to find healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly ways to get to work, school and play.

This initiative is growing every year and has expanded far beyond its original roots in Chittenden County. Last year, ten of the twenty-seven communities in the Rutland Region participated.

All participants are entered into prize raffles and can access coupons for 10 cent bus rides and free martials arts lessons, among other great benefits.
Visit the Way to Go! website.

Congratulations to Middletown Springs, one of last year's winning schools!

Rutland County Sponsors
Just show your Way to Go! registration page at the following Rutland County businesses (coupons coming soon - but bringing in your registration page will work just fine).

Vermont Martial Arts Academy
Two free weeks for new members!
www.koroken.com

Vermont Sport and Fitness
One week pass!
www.vermontsportandfitness.com

The Bus - Marble Valley Regional Transit
Ten cent fares May 4 - 15, plus FREE day on May 8!
www.thebus.com

Sensible Shoe
Ten percent off a pair of shoes! (Restrictions apply)
www.sensibleshoe.com

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Planning For Vermont's Electric Transmission Future

VELCO LEADS VERMONT’S NEW PROCESS FOR ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION RELIABILITY PLANNING


The public is invited to review and provide input on Vermont Electric Power Company’s (VELCO) Long Range Transmission Plan -- Public Review Draft set for release in early April. The document is part of a collaboratively designed planning process approved by Vermont’s Public Service Board (PSB) in 2007. The plan, which looks out 20 years and must be updated every three, identifies transmission upgrades that may be needed to maintain reliability and where generation and demand reduction could potentially address those reliability needs. The new 20-year planning horizon offers additional opportunities for public input and is intended to provide ample time for “full, fair and timely consideration” of alternatives to building transmission. The draft plan will be on-line and available at www.velco.com/publicoutreach.

Public outreach related to the draft plan will be conducted during April and May. VELCO is working with the Snelling Center for Government to design and execute an extensive statewide public outreach process, which will include traditional and electronic media to publicize the plan’s release, a website to share the findings of VELCO’s technical analysis and to gather public input, engagement of key regional partners, and six public forums at locations around Vermont.

The forums will include an overview of the analysis, information kiosks on key issues, facilitated discussions, and the opportunity to meet with VELCO staff and representatives of local electric distribution utilities. Refreshments will be served.

The public forums are scheduled as follows:


Monday, April 27 at 5:30 pm
Holiday Inn, Rutland


Wednesday, April 29 at 5:30 pm
Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee


Tuesday, May 5 at 5:30 pm
Sheraton Hotel, Burlington


Thursday, May 7 at 5:30 pm
Catamount Arts Academy, St. Johnsbury


Wednesday, May 13 at 5:30 pm
Marlboro Tech Center, Brattleboro


Monday, May 18 at 1:30 pm
VT College of Fine Arts, Montpelier


For questions please contact VELCO at (802) 282-2631 or e-mail publicoutreach@velco.com.

To request sign language interpretation, please contact publicoutreach@velco.com at least one week prior to the event.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Tinmouth Community Wind Forum

Community Wind Forum

Monday April 6, 2009 7:30

Tinmouth Community Center

TINMOUTH: A Community Wind Forum will be held on Monday April 6, 2009 at 7:30 at the Tinmouth Community Center to discuss and ask questions about the large industrial wind project under development in Ira, Tinmouth, Middletown, Clarendon, Poultney and West Rutland. The developer, Vermont Community Wind, will give a brief presentation with lots of time for questions from citizens and towns. This development has the potential to visually and audibly affect these towns and their residents, as well as provide tax revenue. Is this a good deal for your town? Come and ask questions and find out more. The Vermont Community Wind website has a map of the proposed development at http://vtcomwind.com/VCWFGallery.html. This forum is being hosted by citizens of Tinmouth who want to know more about the proposed development. For more information, contact Marshall Squier at 235-2718 or mosquier@vermontel.net.