GREEN MOUNTAINS, BLUE WATER:
Creation Care News from
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light (VTIPL)
January 2012
In this newsletter:
Keystone XL pipeline decision
Sen. Leahy's speech to Senate on pipeline
Fossil Fuel Freedom Campaign
Meeting with legislative leaders on Feb. 2
2012 Energy Bills in VT Legislature
National Preach-in Feb. 10-12
Episcopal Diocese Installs Solar Trackers
Ecumenical Carbon Fast for Lent
Waterbury LEAP Energy Fair - Apr. 14
Greening your house of worship
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE PERMIT DENIED
Yesterday, President Obama agreed with the Department of
State's recommendation to deny the Keystone XL pipeline
permit. The proposal was for a pipeline that would carry oil
from the tar sands of northern Alberta across six states and a
critical freshwater aquifer to the Gulf of Mexico. The Rev.
Canon Sally Bingham, founder of Interfaith Power and Light,
issued a statement on the President's decision. Read it here:
http://interfaithpowerandlight.org/2012/01/faith-stands-behind-president...
SEN. LEAHY'S SPEECH TO SENATE ON XL PIPELINE
In December, Sen. Leahy gave a speech to the Senate about energy
policy and the Keystone XL pipeline. Leahy had been following
this pipeline proposal and had written letters to the administration
opposing it. This speech gives information about the Keystone XL
project and our nation's energy policy (or lack thereof). He says,
"There is also much more we could do to make use of what we have
by wasting less, improving end use efficiency, and increasing our use
of renewable sources of energy." Read this inspiring speech here:
www.vnrc.org/energy/hot-issues/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-on-xl-pipeline/
FOSSIL FUEL FREEDOM CAMPAIGN
This campaign of 350 Vermont is to challenge our legislators to take
bolder action to reduce Vermont's dependence on fossil fuels. A press
conference launching this campaign will be held at the Statehouse on
Wed., Jan. 25, Cedar Creek Room, 10 am. All are invited and they
hope many will come. Go to: http://world.350.org/vermont/ and
scroll down to watch a Youtube video of Kristin Carlson's interview
of 350 VT leader, David Stember, on WCAX TV.
MEETING ON ENERGY WITH LEGISLATIVE LEADERS
Chair of the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee, Tony
Klein, and Ginny Lyons, Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and
Energy Committee, will hold a meeting at the Statehouse on Thursday,
Feb. 2 from 6 - 8 p.m. They encourage members of town energy
committees and others with an interest in energy to attend and share
ideas. It's a chance to learn more about the bills and express opinions.
2012 VERMONT ENERGY BILLS
A slew of energy-related bills (4 in House; 10 in Senate) are
coming before the Legislature this year. These bills are on:
hydraulic fracturing (fracking) wells for natural gas and oil;
a renewable portfolio standard requiring more of Vermont's
energy to be from renewable energy; making net-metering
easier; prohibiting commercial construction (including wind
turbines) on certain state and conserved lands; disclosing
buildings' energy efficiency performance to prospective buyers;
a pilot program for expediting development of small hydro-
electric plants; requiring that full evaluation of environmental
costs be incorporated in determinations for electric and natural
gas energy planning and permitting; establishing an annual
charge for storage of dry casks of spent nuclear fuel; customers'
rights regarding smart metering; exempting solar generation on
flat roofs from municipal bylaws, and more! If you 'd like to
receive a brief summary of these bills, send an email requesting
the summary to VTIPL: info@vtipl.org.
NATIONAL PREACH-IN: FEB. 10 - 12 WEEKEND
Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) is sponsoring Preach-In during
the weekend of Feb. 10 - 12, close to Valentine's Day, and is
encouraging pastors to preach about loving Creation. The
deadline has passed to sign up with IPL to receive materials in
the mail, however, many helpful resources are available on the
IPL website: http://interfaithpowerandlight.org Click on the
"Clergy Corner" tab at the top for liturgies, prayers, and other
resources, and there's more at the "Resources" tab. Vermont
IPL's lending library of films on DVD includes "Preaching for
the Planet." Contact VTIPL if you'd like to borrow that DVD
or another one of VTIPL's films. To see the DVDs in our
lending library, click here: http://www.vtipl.org/films
EPISCOPAL DIOCESE INSTALLS SOLAR TRACKERS
The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont, based at Rock Point in
Burlington, and the Rock Point School have collaborated on
the installation on diocesan property of a solar photovoltaic
array of panels - "trackers" that pivot to follow the sun. The
installation was done by All Earth Renewables. The panels
are expected to produce half of the electricity used by the
school. Read the Burlington Free Press article about this
project here:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012120117032
ECUMENICAL CARBON FAST FOR LENT
For the second year, New England Regional Environmental
Ministries is offering an online "Carbon Fast" during Lent.
Those who sign up for it will receive daily email messages
throughout Lent with energy tips and suggestions on how to
reduce energy use. Sign up for it here:
http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?
WATERBURY LEAP ENERGY FAIR - April 14
The 6th annual energy fair sponsored by Waterbury LEAP -
Local Energy Action Partnership - will be held at Crossett
Brook Middle School in Duxbury on Saturday, Apr. 14 from
9 a.m. - 1 p.m. It's free and open to all! Click here for more
information: www.waterburyleap.org/events.php
GREENING YOUR HOUSE OF WORSHIP
Here's a helpful resource from Eco-Justice Ministries - geared to
congregations that are getting started on "greening." Although Eco-
Justice Ministries is a Christian organization, the suggestions can be
adapted and used by other faiths as well:
http://www.eco-justice.org/Greening-Basics.asp
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light (VTIPL) educates faith
community members about the threat that the climate crisis
presents to Earth and facilitates actions to care for Creation.
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light
P.O. Box 209, Richmond, VT 05477
info@vtipl.org Tel. 802-434-3397 www.vtipl.org
