Professors Assess Vermont's Green Future

Author: Pete Faroni

"Think Blue; Act Green" is an idea Middlebury College students are urged to remember every time they take a sip of coffee from a C.U.P.P.S. mug. The College strives to set the standard as an environmentally conscious institution and to educate not only its students, faculty and staff, but also the town about environmental consciousness. From mail delivery on bikes to the college compost pile to the broomball rink made from dish water, the Middlebury College community is reminded on a daily basis of the importance of preserving the surrounding environment.
Gov. James Douglas' committee appointments have further amplified concern over environmental laws in Vermont. They have caused members of the community to voice their concern. Professor of Political Science and Director of the Program in Environmental Studies Chris McGrory Klyza and Associate in Science Instruction in Environmental Studies Amy Seidl spoke to The Middlebury Campus last week about current concerns and possible solutions.

The Campus: What is your opinion of Governor Douglas' recent appointees? Do you think that they are suited to the jobs to which they have been appointed?
Chris Klyza: I think we should give Gov. Douglas the benefit of the doubt on his appointees to major conservation and environmental posts. That being said, I am concerned with the positions taken in the past by a number of his appointees. The governor has articulated a desire to achieve a balance between the economy and the environment. These appointments don't suggest balance. My concern is what has happened in Washington will happen in Vermont. President Bush campaigned as a moderate, as a centrist on the environment. Yet his actions on environmental policy have been very conservative.
The Campus: Do you think that Vermont's high energy costs warrant taking a more economic-oriented approach towards energy issues? Should Vermont deregulate energy?
Amy Seidl: I think Green Mountain Power (GMP) is doing very well at marketing efficiency and greener sources of power. There are bound to be big changes ahead for utility company portfolios that rely on Yankee Nuclear, including Central Vermont Public Service where Middlebury gets its electricity. I've read mixed reports on how well deregulation will serve consumers, i.e. whether prices will actually go down. I do think deregulation provides a better opportunity for consumers to purchase renewable energy and an even better opportunity for energy co-ops to lobby and direct where that power comes from.
C.K.: Vermont does have comparatively high electricity costs. It is unclear whether deregulation will significantly reduce those costs. Regardless of whether Vermont decides to undertake a fundamental restructuring of its electricity regulatory system, it must start to plan for the future. In addition to issues of the cost of electricity, Vermont should also be thinking about externalities such as pollution and issues of price stability and security. I think such a discussion requires a very serious look at wind energy generated here in Vermont.
The Campus: The possibility of exploring wind power has been discussed. What is your opinion on the effectiveness and feasibility of such power sources? What are some concerns about wind power?
A.S.: I am in full support of wind energy. Vermont, as it turns out, has substantial wind resources. The Searberg plant in southern Vermont, built by Green Mountain Power (GMP) in 1998, is one of the largest wind generating stations east of the Mississippi and is currently producing power for the state. While wind is an effective source, it cannot be our only power. Slight differences in wind speeds can have a tremendous effect on power generation. Pulsing energy, distance from transmission lines and yes, aesthetics, are issues that as a society we need to deal with. I think we need to recognize that there are many constraints to where wind power can be developed.
The Campus: How would you respond to Staff Attorney for the Conservation Law Foundation Mark Sinclair's statement that "What's good for the environment is good for business"?
A.S.: Better said: What's good for the environment can be good for business. There are some great examples of this being true. The latest is the growth in wind industry. Recently, wind energy has become increasingly competitive with conventional energy sources (nuclear, coal, oil, hydroelectric), costing between $.06 and .09 per kWh. In comparison, Middlebury College pays approximately $.06 per kWh to Central Vermont Public Service whose energy portfolio is primarily nuclear, hydroelectric and fossil-fuel based.
The Campus: Do you believe it is possible for there to be a compromise between the economy and the environment?
C.K.: I think that the electricity issue and many environmental issues in Vermont can be dealt with through a balanced approach. Often environmental laws and regulations are blamed inaccurately for high costs. In the case of electricity, for instance, environmental regulations have very little to do with the high rates in Vermont. Vermont's landscape and air and water quality are arguably its most valuable assets. Reducing that quality of life may end up causing more economic harm than good.
A.S.: I do see room for compromise but I also firmly believe in governmental regulation and the potential for rapid effect. Curiously, perhaps even optimistically, I think that regulation often stimulates innovation leading to an atmosphere in which "necessity is the mother of invention."