GWSA Resources (Global Warming Solutions Act)

The Global Warming Solutions Act: “Dictatorships are really efficient!”
by Rob Roper – January 23, 2020
Debate over the Global Warming Solutions Act in the House Energy & Technology Committee grew philosophical about whether or not democracy is an appropriate form of government for dealing with climate change. The Chairman of the House Energy & Technology Committee, Rep. Tim Briglin (D-Thetford) expressed his loss of faith in the legislature’s ability to deal with any policy requiring quick action due to the democratic nature of the body. Said Briglin, “The legislature has failed dismally at the task. And, part of it is we’re a four-and-a-half month, butcher, baker, candlestick maker citizen legislature. And, I think have shown over the years that we’re pretty poor at this strategic planning process”….(Read More)

GWSA Passes Out of Energy & Technology Committee
by Rob Roper – February 14, 2020
The Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) bill passed out of the House Energy & Technology Committee on a 7-2 vote and moved to the House Appropriations Committee. Here’s how the bill is shaping up as it moves through the system. In some respects, the bill has been watered down significantly (good!), but it still retains many undesirable and impractical provisions. The greenhouse gas emission goals that would be put into statute as mandates for the state to achieve…(Read More)

Vermont’s Climate Crusade is Futile with or without GWSA
By David Flemming – February 6, 2020
Under the GWSA, Vermont looks to continue its crusade to end climate change. But such weapons are far more likely to be turned on Vermonters than to actually impact the climate. On Wednesday, January 29, House Judiciary Committee asked for advice about the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) from Robert McDougall and Laura Murphy, who work under VT Attorney General TJ Donovan. One of the most insightful observations about the GWSA came from Rep. Matthew Trieber (D-Rockingham) “This is one of the most broad pieces…” (Read More)

Legislators Admit Climate “Solutions” Will Bring Economic “Chaos”
By Rob Roper – February 3, 2020
I have been closely following the testimony regarding the Global Warming Solutions Act, currently under debate in the House Energy & Technology Committee. Last week brought some unexpected honesty and clarity to the issue. Two students from the Vermont Youth Lobby came to advocate in favor of the bill, which would make mandatory the greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set out in statute. If the state fails to meet those goals under the proposed law, which it will, anyone could bring legal action to force compliance through the courts. And here was the moment of honesty …(Read More)

Commentary: The Worst Democracy-Shredding Bill in Fifty Years
By John McClaughry – January 30, 2020
Over the past fifty years I have seen a lot of bills introduced into the Vermont legislature. Of all the bills over all those years, the absolute worst was just introduced in the House, with 87 co-sponsors (all Democratic and Progressive). It’s titled the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA, H.688). The Climate Action Coalition believes that the planet faces a “climate emergency” due to human-caused carbon dioxide emissions. Every year for the past five years its dozens of lobbyists have labored to persuade the legislators to take bold and far-reaching steps to drive down those emissions. The centerpiece of those efforts has been a carbon tax. The argument has three components…(Read More)

$200 Million Worth of Climate “Spaghetti”
By Rob Roper – February 10, 2020
In a recent interview with VPR, Rep. Tim Briglin (D-Norwich), who chairs the House Energy & Technology Committee, admitted that the state has no strategy for reducing carbon emissions. “Right now, we are kind of throwing spaghetti against the wall: A little energy efficiency measure here, some electric vehicle incentives here.” But, those “little” bits of non-strategic pasta add up to as much as $200 million in taxpayer spending. Every year. For a little state with about 320,000 taxpayers, that is a TON of money. This is twice as much as we spend annually …(Read More)

Ask AG Donovan: GWSA and Carbon Taxes?
By David Flemming – January 29, 2020
On Jan 23, Vermont’s Attorney General TJ Donovan testified before the House Energy & Technology Committee on the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). Rep. Heidi E. Scheuermann (R-Stowe) laid out a series of tough questions about what might happen if the GWSA passes: Rep. Scheuermann: “Could the Secretary (of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources) propose an amendment that will be adopted to increase the gas tax by 20 cents a gallon in the state of Vermont? And then obviously the legislature doesn’t vote on it. Is that a problem? Attorney General Donovan: “Let’s research that and get back to you.”….(Read More)

Vermont Gets First Look at Radical Climate Legislation, the “GWSA”
By David Flemming – January 21, 2020
A radical new bill, the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), was proposed a few days ago. It would turn Vermont’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals into mandates. The bill made its way to the House Committee on Energy & Technology last week. Several legislators were quick to question how the bill would impact Vermonters. Under GWSA, if Vermont does not meet its CO2 reduction goals, Vermonters would be forced to cough up taxpayer dollars to any special interests who think the legislative process is not….”(Read More)

Commentary: With TCI Imploding, A Worse Bill Is on the Horizon
By Rob Roper – January 30, 2020
If New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island don’t participate in the TCI program, that would leave Massachusetts, whose governor, Charlie Baker, is probably TCI’s biggest booster, completely isolated. Baker himself is under increasing pressure by a growing, bi-partisan group of legislators who don’t like the regressive nature of the tax. All this is good news for Vermont drivers, but it’s no time to pop Champaign corks and breathe a sigh of relief. If TCI burns to the ground, our legislature is going to feel pressure to “do something” they can spin as a positive step to solve climate change. And that “something” is likely to be the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA)….”(Read More)

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