00:14:05 Johanna Miller: Welcome everyone! Thanks for joining us for our 2nd workshop session of our 14th annual VECAN conference. A huge shout out to the sponsors of this event and partners in this work. Find out more about them here: https://vecan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Resource-Provider-Summary-2021-VECAN-Conference.pdf 00:16:07 Johanna Miller: Many thanks to our panelists and facilitator today too! Please post any questions you might have for them in the chat, as there will be ample time for Q&A later in the session… 00:17:58 Diane Foulds: How can all of Vt’s individual towns and energy committees use the CAP to go forward with concrete initiatives? Are we on our own, or do we follow distinct guidelines? 00:19:09 Jeff Forward: Ben, Thank you for reminding us about the Climate March. That was an incredibly energizing day! 00:20:18 Bekah Kuster, VECAN: Initial Climate Action Plan: https://climatechange.vermont.gov/sites/climatecouncilsandbox/files/2021-12/Initial%20Climate%20Action%20Plan%20-%20Final%20-%2012-1-21.pdf 00:22:39 Mark Kennedy: Is the TCI still possible? What is needed for it to become active? 00:23:17 Jeff Forward: Huge shout out to Joey Miller and Jared Duval, VT Climate Council members who spent countless hours over the past six months and continue to champion our transition to a clean energy economy. Thank you , thank you , thank you! 00:28:08 Bekah Kuster, VECAN: Draft 2022 CEP: https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/release-draft-2022-comprehensive-energy-plan 00:29:09 Carole Petrillo: I would like to know what the council is proposing for protecting our old growth in our forests, particularly getting Vtrans and GMF to stop cutting our trees. 00:31:25 Johanna Miller: To follow what’s happening in the legislature this coming session, make sure you are signed up for our weekly “Climate Dispatch” — https://vnrc.org/category/climate-dispatch/ 00:31:45 Johanna Miller: Also: Be sure to sign up to follow the Vermont Climate Caucus too, here: https://vtclimatecaucus.org/ 00:31:52 Jeff Forward: With all of the federal money coming directly to towns, now more than ever Energy Committee folks need to engage with decision makers in their towns. Many towns are forming ARPA committees to determine how to spend that federal largess locally. Select Boards and Planning Commissions already make critical decisions on issues that relate to climate change. Show up. Participate. Run for office. Volunteer for local committees! 00:32:36 Mark Kennedy: As I asked yesterday, how does this info. get to all Vermonters so that people understand it, are able to ask questions about it, and ultimately grasp it well enough to own and support it? Maybe a Speaker's Bureau, where some of the folks presenting in this conf. make themselves available to local community groups, e.g., libraries, congregations, schools, town meetings, etc. Thank you! 00:33:13 Stephanie Moffett-Hynds: Thank you, Rep. Copeland Hanzas, for that honest statement about the powers at play which are standing in the way of our creating more energy (actually clean energy) inside Vermont. 00:33:20 Jeff Forward: Thank you so much Rep. Copeland Hanzas for your leadership on the GWSA. It wouldn’t have happened without your strong and consistent advocacy. 00:33:29 Rep. Becca White: Register here for the Legislative Vermont Climate Solutions Caucus zoom Virtual Town Hall on Dec 15th here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pcOqupjIuEtSocjyzDCEYWdBgGLau7kIu?emci=1af8bd32-8153-ec11-9820-a085fc31ac93&emdi=f3ea76ac-9e53-ec11-94f6-0050f2e65e9b&ceid=2062684 00:37:41 Sam Lash, she/her: energy is one (big) component but how do we set goals/legislative priorities to ensure we don’t keep falling behind in other aspects of comprehensive climate action (e.g. “next” foci will need to shift to soil health, water management (stormwater, drought resilience, freshwater, waterbodies), science and climate literacy, etc… is this work ongoing at the legislative level? 00:37:58 Sam Lash, she/her: (This is not to take away from the great work done thus far! Thank you!) 00:39:20 Jeff Forward: We need to focus on increasing in-state renewables. Currently we import most of our electricity generation and therefore export the environmental impacts. We have a moral obligation to take more responsibility for our increasing electricity needs. 00:46:17 Keith Epstein: one thing to consider for the EVSE program: most EV chargers don't have the ability to swipe a credit card at the point of sale, and require you to have a membership. I believe this is a serious limitation and barrier to growth. It makes EV charging a little more difficult and confusing than filling at the gas pump. To remove this barrier, could state incentive funding require a point of sale credit card swipe system? 00:46:57 Jeff Forward: multi-family housing must be required and incentivized to install EV charging stations. Most charging happens at home. Without a viable charging station available, folks who want to take advantage of incentives for EVs. 00:47:45 Jeff Forward: Love the idea of RUBER! 00:49:40 Kevin Thorley: On the topic of EVSE, specifically fast chargers, it would be great to see not only the funds to incentivize installation, but also expectations around maintenance and availability. Making sure the charger is working when you arrive is becoming more of a problem and some of the major charging networks are consistently letting EV drivers down. 00:49:43 Sally Kerschner: RUBER is cute name but is it formally connected with the official Uber company? 00:50:00 Mark Kennedy: I'm glad Rep. Sarah Hanzas referred to needed economic changes. One we don't discuss directly yet that is central, I believe: moving away from a consumer-based (extraction, production, use, disposal) economy toward one that focuses on a full circle economy that focuses instead on recovering and continuing to use the resources already extracted - lots of room for innovation as we deal with packaging, as we focus on repair vs. replacing, on building things from materials that once returned to the earth reinforce healthy eco-systems vs. add toxins to the environment. Go Vermont that leads the way in innovation in so many ways already! 00:52:15 Shelden Goodwin, she/her, VCV: Please put your questions in the chat! 00:52:47 Jeff Forward: Is there an effort for Vermont to join the Western Climate Initiative? 00:53:09 SPENCER PUTNAM: Becca—Could you expand a bit on Transportation Demand Management? What are some of the most accessible strategies, especially in rural areas? 00:53:43 Bekah Kuster, VECAN: https://climatechange.vermont.gov/ 00:53:43 Richard Butz VTIPL: Does the Transportation Innovation Act has a bill # yet? 00:54:15 Kevin Thorley: For initiatives that are already in the implementation phase, e.g. the EV fast chargers announced by Gov. Scott earlier this year, how can we keep up with progress that is being made (and, is progress being made?) 00:54:27 Yves Gonnet: Is there some sort of plan to help municipalities to start ECs where they do not exist and to bolster volunteerism for those that do have an EC? 00:55:44 Lauri Scharf: I like Rep Copeland Hazas' mention of "energy coaches." Can you elaborate? Is this already a defined role in certain types of organizations? A job for town energy committees? 00:56:50 SPENCER PUTNAM: On the road, what is needed are fast chargers, and multiple chargers at each location. Level 2 don’t really help when you’re on a long trip. 00:57:18 Barnaby Feder: Which parts of our climate plan are most sensitive both on potential upside and barriers to what is going on legislatively in neighboring states and Quebec? 00:57:39 Mark Kennedy: I think for more people to be involved the key information needs to get to everyone in Vermont, whether through print, on line, or, hopefully, in person If we in South Hero, for example, knew who to contact to arrange for someone to come to the community for an information session and beginning of conversation that would be helpful. 00:58:07 Bruce Lierman: Does the multi-family EV incentive also support on-site EVs for a carshare arrangement ? 00:59:20 Greg Hostetler: There is currently a recommendation, but not a requirement, for V-Trans to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians when paving/repaving a road. Is there any proposal to provide safe transportation for all road users? 00:59:59 Mark Kennedy: At some point not long ago, we heard about the focus on development of the micro-grid. What's happening with that? It seems to make so much more sense to produce electricity closer to where it's used as much as possible vs. producing it in places that require building of additional major transmission lines to move the electricity to places much further away than where its produced. 01:00:13 Linda Gray, Norwich: Join VECAN's Advocacy Network by emailing one of our regional coordinators -- Jeff Forward , Catherine Crawley , Jim Hand , or me 01:00:22 Geoffrey Gardner: There’s very little in the CAP about increasing in-state renewables, especially community and individual solar. And in the past several years, the PUC and DPS have been actively discouraging new net metered solar development. Will there be legislative action to reverse this discouraging trend? 01:00:46 Ann Janda, CCRPC: I looked up what Becca just mentioned: 01:00:49 Ann Janda, CCRPC: https://greenmountainpower.com/rebates-programs/business-innovation/electric-vehicles/workplace-charging/ 01:02:14 Richard Butz VTIPL: I agree with Jeef, we need to stop discouraging small scale, AKA community solar. 01:03:04 Susanna Lewis: “we need to stop discouraging small scale, AKA community solar.”—crucial! 01:03:30 Sam Lash, she/her: How can we ensure implementation will impact and be enforced at state, regional, and local level planning and development writ large? (Local land use planning, low-impact&energy efficient development, etc); I see in the legislative action/rule making section (starting pp253) staffing is including on some initiatives- what is the timeline for these positions and how might we work to fund municipal and state staffing and technical support in the meantime? (Especially to take advantage of incoming federal support which requires having projects at hand and ready- again how do we ensure towns with less resources are not left behind?) 01:03:31 Carole Petrillo: Sarah Copeland Hanzas - Keeping our old growth in the ground will give us the biggest bang for the buck! This doesn't cost anything to do. 01:03:35 Yves Gonnet: AND very small scale Wind power! 01:04:36 Howard Widelitz: Since duding is a key component for getting us to where we need to be, can you please explain more about the itching funds you discussed and are we at risk of losing funding as a result? Also, do matching funds apply to the State only or is there funding available to match municipality level funding? 01:04:51 Howard Widelitz: That should be “funding” 01:05:10 Howard Widelitz: And “matching” 01:05:15 Bruce Lierman: Though Complete streets may help with on-road safety, more and more successful (and unsuccessful) cycle infrastructure project point to off-road cycletracks and sidepaths as more effective in increasing cyclist mode share and safety. Will off-road programs also be included in the Transportion Innovation Act? 01:05:38 Jennifer Goldberg: I'm also interested in individual solar, what incentives exist, and what new incentives are coming. Can anyone point me to the best resources to learn about converting a home to solar? I don't drive much and my home is my biggest energy sink. 01:05:51 Mark Kennedy: Re: locally produced solar: we were reasonably early adopters that allowed us to reach "net-zero" in our home. The steps included: tightening our home; determining how much heat we needed, how much hot water, how much electricity and then: installing a hearthstone stove for heating; solar hot water, with electric back up in the solar hot water storage tank, and pv. All of the pv we produce and don't use on a particular day goes to the lines on which our neighbors draw, reducing the amount that needs to come from other places further away. We need to move in this direction, building in storage. 01:06:47 Mark Kennedy: Storage of renewable energy: what is being done to develop less toxic batteries that use less precious materials than Lithium? 01:08:02 Bob Farnham: Richard Cowart spoke with co-chairs of the Climate Solutions Caucus, Rep Sarah Copeland Hanzas and Senator Chris Pearson, in this video I shot. Richard was the co-chair of the Cross-Sector Mitigation committee. Very interesting conversation - https://youtu.be/Oj_Nu5Qg2ho 01:08:34 Sam Lash, she/her: @JenniferGoldberg Norwich TEC has a great panel “SOLARIZE” on their website with a ton of resources: http://norwichenergycommittee.weebly.com 01:09:15 Ann Lawless: Apologies, I arrived late and now must hop off early. 01:10:24 Elizabeth Alpaugh-Cote: A great panel of speakers. Thank you all.Catch you tomorrow. 01:10:27 Kevin Thorley: Paid energy coordinator is on tonight’s agenda for the Willilston select board, wish us luck 🙂 01:10:45 Ben Edgerly Walsh: Yay Kevin! Good luck. 01:11:05 Ann Janda, CCRPC: Brattleboro also has a paid Energy Coordinator 01:11:12 Yves Gonnet: Good luck Kevin! 01:11:27 Lynn Bohi: Hartford cooordinator paid whole salary in first 9 months he worked. 01:12:19 Ann Janda, CCRPC: I am the Energy Project Manager for Chittenden County RPC 01:12:24 Mark Kennedy: Re: environmental justice, small towns like South Hero need help having an energy coordinator. To whom can small towns turn? How about state funding to employ energy coordinators regionally? Yes, Ben is addressing this now. Thank you. So is funding going to be forthcoming? 01:12:25 Sam Lash, she/her: It has been great to see CCRPC, NRPC, CVRPC, etc have those positions open this year!!! 01:12:33 Steven Bauer, TRORC: Thanks Becca and Ben for the RPC plug! 01:14:16 Jeff Forward: Absolutely agree. We on this call need to run for office! 01:15:27 Sally Burrell: If towns can’t imagine paying someone, a lot can be done with a volunteer energy committee. And it feels good to work together to make positive change locally. We’ve been able to do a lot in Bristol…. at no cost to the town. And securing lots of energy savings and lease income form projects for the town. 01:16:08 Allie Webster (she/her): I’m one of the new the energy planners (NEK RPC = NVDA). Also on the Peacham Energy Committee. Please get in touch (awebster@nvda.net) for collaborating on energy/climate efforts in NEK :) 01:16:50 Sam Lash, she/her: Those are good points Sally but not everyone is able to volunteer (time without compensation, childcare, etc)- it means many voices, particularly those already marginalized, will continue to be left out 01:16:58 Sam Lash, she/her: Awesome Allie! 01:17:02 Mark Kennedy: Thank you Sally. I'd be glad to learn more about what you're doing. My e-mail: maylskenn@yahoo.com Still, having professionals with whom to consult is essential. 01:17:05 Stephanie Moffett-Hynds: Sally, I would love to talk with you about what you've done in Bristol. I'm sure other energy committees would like to learn from you, too. (I'm on Arlingon's committee). 01:18:03 SPENCER PUTNAM: Is there a danger that this Administration or other Administrations in the future might slow-walk these policies? How can we prevent that from happening? 01:18:26 Sarah Copeland Hanzas: Yes, Spence/Fran! That is absolutely the risk. 01:18:38 Sam Lash, she/her: +1 Spencer Putnam (plus how do we ensure standards regarding weatherization, etc will not slip either!?) 01:18:51 Jeff Forward: There are tremendous challenges to develop solar projects that could be used for community solar. The PUC and the Public Service Department repeated say that we are doing fine when it comes to in-state solar and that we don’t need to do anything more. ANR is so siloed in their individual disciplines that they do not take climate change into consideration in renewable energy permit applications. All state agencies should be forced to take climate change into consideration in all of their actions. 01:19:13 Ben Edgerly Walsh: https://outside.vermont.gov/agency/anr/climatecouncil/Shared%20Documents/Initial%20Climate%20Action%20Plan%20-%20Final%20-%2012-1-21.pdf 01:19:32 Stephanie Moffett-Hynds: Totally agree, Jeff Forward. 01:19:36 Sam Lash, she/her: Agreed Jeff, would love to see state agencies required to apply cc lens to all facets of their work (just as they do with economy now) 01:20:36 Sally Burrell: Acorn Energy Co-op developed Community Solar in Bristol when we reached out to them. It goes on line this month. 01:21:11 Stephanie Moffett-Hynds: Well said, Ben! 01:21:15 Sam Lash, she/her: That’s awesome Sally! Congrats and would love to share across TECs your process and share method/strategy! 01:22:04 Fran Putnam: Kudos to Bristol Energy Committee for spearheading the Community Solar project. The Weybridge Energy Committee got our town to agree to buy panels from that project. We are pleased to be a part of that effort and it helps to make our electricity cleaner. 01:22:30 Allie Webster (she/her): Peacham Community Solar (150 kW system) is accepting reservations right now. Only requirement is that that you be a GMP customer. (peachamsolar@gmail.com for more info) 01:22:56 Mark Kennedy: Another issue: wood stove pollution. We have emissions standards for cars. How can we assure that wood stoves are burning clean and how can we make sure that those least able to afford upgrades to their wood heating system are able to make them? 01:23:51 Mark Kennedy: Thank you for this excellent presentation and conversation! 01:23:58 Bekah Kuster, VECAN: Thanks everyone for joining us today! We will post the recording of this workshop and resources listed in the chat on the VECAN Conference webpage after the conference wraps. We hope to see you at our final two workshops tomorrow and Thursday. 01:24:08 Yves Gonnet: Thanks panel! 01:24:09 Allie Webster (she/her): This was excellent! Thank you all so much. 01:24:15 Ann Janda, CCRPC: Thank you! 01:24:18 Kelsey Gibb: Thank you!!