(Host) Anthony Pollina says he believes Vermont can meet the bulk of its future energy needs through conservation and the development of local renewable energy projects.
Pollina is an independent candidate for governor. He says he’d make funding for efficiency programs a top priority because an investment in these projects makes good financial sense.
(Pollina) "We’ve already seen that investments in efficiency have a good payback and it’s cheaper to buy efficiency and conservation than it is to buy power. And if that’s the case today you can bet that it’s going to be even more cost effective to buy efficiency in the long term."
(Host) Pollina says he’s convinced that Vermonters will support local wood, hydro and wind projects as a way to phase out the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant:
(Pollina) "We need to begin to phase down Vermont Yankee and phase in Vermont-owned, locally controlled, safe, clean renewables. And any re-licensing of Vermont Yankee should be tied directly to a movement forward on renewables. I would like see Vermont Yankee, if re-licensed at all, have it be for no more than two years."
(Host) Pollina says he’d finance his energy programs, in part, by creating regional bonding authorities that would help towns that are interested in building new renewable projects.