Good HYDRO NEWS.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee is taking testimony on S 148 this Friday at 9 am. See: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/schedule/frame.cfm?CommitteeMeetingID=10197
Please call Committee members and urge them to support this bill (contact info below). It will reduce the regulatory burden on regulators, both the DPS and ANR, allow economic development and keep energy dollars in state. The MOU will develop a process that will allow the first 20 of the over 1,300 identified environmentally sound potential hydro sites to be used to develop a better process for all in the long run. In-state hydro is the cheapest renewable we have, but the most expensive to permit.
For a virtual tour of some of the sites that can be developed, go to: http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/rivers/docs/shw_bargslides.pdf
For an example of a low-impact Exemption that would have benefitted from this legislation go to http://www.vermontdrinkingwater.org/news/WaterLineSummer2011.pdf This site took five months for FERC to permit and OVER A YEAR to get permission from the State.
Due to the partnership in Colorado, FERC was able to issue an exemption in around 2.5 months. Time is money-both for the regulators, and regulated community.
Please write Governor Shumlin governorVT@state.vt.us , and the Committee (contact info below), and urge them to support this bill! Governor Shumlin is strongly supportive of hydro as a component of our energy portfolio, and this will help reduce cost and regulatory burden.
Finally. Don’t forget our advocates for Renewable Energy in Vermont. Money talks, and REV needs some help. Please donate to REV: Here is the link that brings people to REV’s website and the actual policy and advocacy page: http://www.revermont.org/main/about-us/policy-and-advocacy/. Scroll on down and people can see Paypal–if you add a hyphen and state Hydro Leg, this will help us identify where the funds are supposed to go.
Stop by the Statehouse, tomorrow at 9 am.
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