VISION STATEMENT

The time has come to re-imagine how we provide warmth in our homes and businesses. We must break with the failed system of relying on fossil fuels and instead create our own stable, affordable supply of heat that benefits Vermont's citizens, economy and environment. When I'm Governor, I will work for the day when Vermonters will no longer be at the mercy of giant oil companies.

I envision Vermonters living in weatherized homes and apartments heated with locally supplied biomass fuels like wood chunks, chips or pellets and solar technologies. Vermonters will pay for these weatherization services and efficient heating systems with the money they save on energy bills. Local suppliers of biomass fuels will create good jobs in their communities. Training programs for traditional and non-traditional students will be widely available to provide our growing energy industry with the workforce it needs. Vermont will become a leading center of biomass and biofuels research, and new companies will be created to take innovative technologies to market. Because Vermonters will be buying locally produced fuels, their energy dollars will stay in the local economy instead of being sent to other states or countries. Perhaps best of all, Vermonters won't be thrown into a home heating crisis by Wall Street speculators and global forces beyond their control.   read more »

The current energy crisis also presents an opportunity to our fuel dealers to rethink their business model. Instead of delivering a specific fuel, they could think in terms of delivering warmth in a variety of forms -- whether it's insulation, wood pellets, or smart building design services. With a commitment to efficiency and local, sustainable harvested natural fuel sources as the cornerstones of Vermont's thermal energy policy we can save money, achieve energy independence and strengthen our economy. As Governor, I will move aggressively to make this vision a reality.