Environmentalists Weigh In on Douglas Appointees

Author: Pete Faroni

Environmental issues are of paramount importance to citizens of the Green Mountain State. The recent changes made by Republican Governor Jim Douglas '72 to environmental law and funding for state environmental departments has raised great concern among many Vermont-based environmental organizations. Particularly unsettling to environmentalists were the recent appointments of business executives to key environmental posts.
New faces on the scene have stirred up resistance to these new developments. Jeff Wenneberg, the former mayor of Rutland and an outspoken critic of state environmental policies, has been selected as the commissioner of the Environmental Conservation Department.
Economic Development Executive David O'Brien has been named commissioner of the Public Service Department. O'Brien's appointment has been heavily contested on the grounds that he lacks experience in dealing with utility issues and a solid background in economics.
Kevin Dorn, the former head of a home-builders group, has been selected as commerce scecretary and administration leader on permit reform. He said that Act 250, Vermont's land use law, is "superfluous" and co-wrote a proposal that could potentially repeal "Act 250 as we know it."
Pat Moulton-Powden, another economic development executive, was appointed chairperson of the Environmental Board, drawing additional criticism that Douglas had chosen economists to jobs better suited to conservationists.
Many environment-minded liberals fear that individuals who do not have the interests of Vermont citizens in mind have been appointed to these positions. They also worry that Douglas believes the Public Services Department is too progressive and needs to be subject to more stringent regulation.
Mark Sinclair, staff attorney for the Conservation Law Foundation, commented on the widespread skepticism over appointees. He said, "I believe that [they] are men who care about the public interest. My concern is with their experience and values in terms of the state agencies they'll be running."
With Vermont at an "energy crossroads," policy-making in these departments will have a profound effect on the future of energy and the environment. New appointees' limited backgrounds in their areas of jurisdiction have caused environmentalists to worry that there will be a significant "getting-up-to-speed time" for the recent appointees, which they say Vermont cannot afford.
While maintaining his stance, Sinclair also concedes that there are positive aspects to having a more business-minded commissioner of the Public Services Department. As a result of the state energy regulatory system, Vermonters have been locked into the highest electricity rates in New England. Despite the failure of deregulation in California, Sinclair believes that Vermont should not be scared away from a competitive energy market. "In our own backyard of New England competition has worked quite well," said Sinclair. He said that energy reforms might allow the rates to come down over time.
The present situation is more complex than the economic-minded and environment-conscious divide. Successful navigation of debate waters will entail enlightened decisions from policy-makers to restructure laws to benefit both the environment and the economy. Sinclair stated, "What's good for the environment is also good for business."
All of this comes at a time in which environmental protection groups within Vermont already feel besieged. They believe that the Bush administration has shown blatant disregard for state sovereignty in determining environmental law and has been rolling back decades of environmental gains.
Douglas is not allowing these complaints to go unanswered. He maintains that his position is centrist and that, although his appointees have business backgrounds, they do have experience in environmental issues. "Vermont can't flourish if economic development comes at the price of a damaged environment," he said.
His opponents will need more reassurance than what they consider a few unsubstantiated claims. Despite stating, "Environmentalists have nothing to fear from this administration," Douglas will continue to be heavily scrutinized by a number of environmental groups.
Steve Crowley, chairman of the Sierra Club's state chapter, pointed out that Douglas' appointments "are anything but centrist." Annette Smith of Vermonters for a Clean Environment stated that, "After the appointments, I felt like I'd been hit by a sledgehammer." Other environmentalists echo these sentiments that the appointments are heavy on the economy and light on the environment, and fear that this imbalance will lead to reforms that will dismantle environmental laws.
Most skeptics, however, are willing to fully challenge Douglas' appointees at the risk of permanently damaging their relationship with the new governor. Paul Burns, the executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, takes a relatively moderate approach to the situation. "His appointees ought to share with the legislature and the public how they are the best people for the job. If they can't explain that, perhaps the governor ought to make another pick," he said.
Despite his slew of laments, Sinclair did note that a day after criticizing Jeff Wenneberg in the press, "he called me and said I really want to sit down with you and have an open door policy to the environmental organizations." For now environmentalists are extending the proverbial olive branch and showing a willingness to work with the new administration.