We made hundreds of our calls and emails to our Vermont Senators, aiding in defeating an attempt by the Senate Minority Leader to rollback important climate laws. Thank you!  Our collective action is making a difference.

Friday, May 9

4 – 5:30pm EDT  VIRTUAL EVENT

Volunteer Blue and its 40-plus partner organizations are (re)inviting you to join us on Friday, May 9th, for this special event.We will focus on strategies and pragmatic actions we can take to stop the destruction of our democracy with our special guests speakers:

Historian and political writer Heather Cox Richardson,Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell,U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin,

Together, we will answer the question: What CAN and MUST we all do to win this fight.

SIGN UP!

As climate disasters like floods, fires, and hurricanes intensify, our communities are paying billions to deal with climate impacts. That’s why a growing number of cities and states are filing lawsuits or passing new legislation that would make the fossil fuel industry pay their fair share for climate damages. Afterall, Big Oil knew for decades they were causing this crisis, but lied to the public and lobbied against climate solutions.

Now, Big Oil is turning to its allies in Congress to try and secure a “liability waiver” that would give them blanket immunity from any efforts to hold them accountable for their climate crimes. This “get out of jail free” card would allow them to keep raking in record profits while we all pay the price of their pollution. This is the same type of legislation that the gun industry was able to pass in 2005 that makes it so they can’t be held responsible when their product kills people.

Sign this petition to Congress telling them to oppose this Big Oil bailout. We can’t give this toxic industry any more free passes when our communities are burning, flooding, and being destroyed by climate change.

Together we can win this fight and protect our progress.

To: Congress
From: [Your Name]

I also wanted legislators to know that Third Act is a nationwide organization of people over 60 taking action to protect the environment and democracy and active in Vermont.  In total there were a dozen members of TA VT present from Windham and Windsor Counties and a few people from Franklin joined us and watched what our representatives and senators were doing. We had many chances to make new connections and build existing relationships.   As I see it, this all lays the groundwork for future advocacy for the environment and democracy.

We want to thank Patrick Flood, formerly a member of the TA VT Coordinating Committee, who led us on a tour of the building and escorted us to the Climate Caucus in another building.  His depth of experience and understanding of how our government works was wonderful.  He generously shared about three hours with us and patiently answered questions and showed us the ins and outs at our seat of government.

We planned our visit to coincide with the biweekly Climate Caucus noon meeting where members of the Senate and House of Representatives meet together to discuss climate legislation.  We were warmly welcomed. At the end of the day, I knew I had reached my goals.  It was great to have this adventure together and get to know members of our regional group better. I hope everyone involved with Third Act Vermont gets a chance this legislative session to visit our State House in Montpelier!  Laurel Green

I asked the people who participated in our “field trip” to comment about what was important for them from their time at the state capitol.  

“I appreciate the openness of our Vermont Statehouse.  I recently had occasion to enter the New York State capitol in Albany, and I had to pass through security as tight as what the TSA does at airports.  By comparison, in Montpelier the entrances are not guarded and there is a clear sense of being welcome.  There is a good reason that our capitol is called the people’s house!”  Steve Crofter

“I felt it was  significant to meet Becca White, my senator personally, and then to see her at work as co-chair of the climate caucus. She impressed me as the type of younger and personable champion for climate action that Vermont needs.”   Steve Dock

“The other part I loved in general was I saw a lot of women in leadership, and they seemed like real people who were approachable and competent and caring and thoughtful.  I liked that some were in suits and heels and some were in more casual wear and nobody cared.”  Elizabeth Crawford

“The Statehouse is clearly a place where a lot of very motivated and extremely busy people operate.”  Chuck Gregory

“Everything went very well and certainly met my expectations. Probably the most important thing I got from the trip was a first-hand appreciation for how the state government works.”  Jon Hart
“It was fun. I love our statehouse.”  Melody Reed

The Global Warming Solutions Act (GSWA) is the is the backbone of Vermont’s response to combating climate change. In Governor Scott’s budget address he said he wants to back out of the state’s commitment to the GWSA, calling the science-based targets in the law “arbitrary deadlines.” These targets are consistent with the United Nations treaty on climate change (The Paris Agreement) which Governor Scott committed Vermont to when the U.S. first withdrew from the agreement in 2017.

Here are some “talking points” you may want to use in your email. Please feel free to use your own words, too.

1. Over the past eight years, Governor Scott has failed to live up to his 2017 promise to uphold the Paris Agreement. He rejected the recommendations of his own Climate Action Commission, vetoed the Global Warming Solutions Act, the Clean Heat Standard, Vermont’s renewable energy standard, and opposed the Affordable Heat Act.
2. The GWSA goals are not arbitrary. Thousands of scientists have collaborated over decades to identify how much pollution needs to be reduced to maintain a somewhat stable climate.
3. Vermont must maintain its commitments to climate action. Gov Scott must not roll back Vermont’s climate goals!

To email the Governor Scott go to:  Contact Us | Office of Governor Phil Scott; click on Email the Governor; fill out the info requested; and write your message (there are suggested points above, but it’s best to use your own words so that we aren’t all sending messages that look copied and pasted).

This contested plan to cut nearly 11,000 acres in the Telephone Gap area northeast of Rutland includes 800 acres of old growth forest. Old growth trees (more than 100 years old) sequester significantly more carbon than younger ones, positively affect water quality, and are more climate resilient.  The Telephone Gap project is projected to release as much carbon as 60,000-gas powered passenger vehicles driven during a year.

Third Act collaborated with Standing Trees, 350 VT, Vermonters for A Clean Environment, and Stop Vermont Biomass for this event. Speakers included: Earl Hatley, Abenaki Nation Coalition, Chris Gish, 350org, Telos Whitfield, Unitarian Universalist minister, State Representative Amy Sheldon, (statement read by Sarah Stott), Justin Lindholm, Vermonters for a Clean Environment, Zack Porter, Executive Director of Standing Trees

The public has until Monday, April 8th to comment. You are urged to submit a comment (or multiple comments – there is no limit) against the Telephone Gap project at US Forest Service NEPA Project Telephone Gap.  Also sign this petition Protect Vermont’s National Forest from destructive logging! and contact your Congress people: Rep Becca Balint: (202) 225-4115, or use this contact form,  Sen Bernie Sanders: (202) 224-5141, or use this contact form  and Sen Peter Welch: (202) 224-4242, or use this contact form.

These attacks on our environment will jeopardize the health of our communities and will harm our collective efforts to promote a more equitable and affordable Vermont for all. We need Governor Phil Scott to stand up to Trump and ensure that Vermont continues to move forward with environmental protections and climate solutions that ensure that communities across the state are safe from the impacts of climate change and have access to affordable, clean energy. Add your name to this petition to send Governor Scott a clear message that Vermont needs climate action, not a furthering of Trump’s backward environmental agenda. The Vermont Conservation Voters will deliver this petition directly to the Governor in February.

Tell Governor Scott to Protect Vermont from Trump’s Environmental Attcks

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