Montpelier Energy Task Force
Report on Montpelier Energy Town Meeting - March 5, 2007
One hundred and fifty Montpelier citizens turned out to start the City of Montpelier down a path of changing its energy future. Confronted by a combination of economic and environmental realities, the group arrived at an exciting list of possible actions to pursue. At least 12 teams will continue working to improve energy options, expand availability of alternative energy supplies and reduce the overall use of fossil fuels in the City. All of this occurred as the City of Montpelier held the first of what may be a series of “Town Meetings” on March 5.
Planning Commission Chair Ken Jones provided a brief context for the participants to consider. Ken showed that any climate change that we observe today is only going to increase significantly in the future. It is the responsibility of US citizens to reduce emissions to keep the future climate changes from being catastrophic. In order to slow the changes, American users, with Montpelier possibly taking the lead, need to reduce emissions by 80%. In the past ten years, Vermont has increased its annual expenditure on oil and gasoline by more than $500 million. Continuing increases in oil prices will only expand that drain on family and business economics.
The meeting participants formed small groups to consider what they can do to meet the energy challenge. The groups came up with more than 100 ideas for community action. These actions include the possibility of district heating, the expansion of biking and mass transit options, exploring the potential of new energy generation in Montpelier and expanding energy services to city businesses and residents.
The Montpelier Energy Team will be providing general support to each Action Team formed during the Town Meeting. Some of the actions will require funding, some will require city-wide communication and some will require action by City government.
Below are some of the action teams that were formed, and their respective projects and goals.
Team Name: BIKES
Point person(s): Carrie Baker Stahler 229-9409 / carrie@onionriver.com and Sarah Galbraith 229-5985 / sdgalbraith@yahoo.com
Team goal: Increase bike usage in Montpelier (double in two years) and reduce carbon emissions
Initial action steps: Collect and discuss info about existing bike programs. Need info on: Bicycle Friendly Communities Program (Becca has powerpoint presentation), SafeKids program (has money for bike infrastructure), info on results of first meeting of Free Ride Bike Co-op, any existing data on bike use in Montpelier
Next meeting: March 26, 2007
Team Name: COMPOST COMPADRES
Point person: Kate Clemente 229-9383 x302 / schoolcompost@cvswmd.com
Team goal: Set-up a community collection / promoting backyard compost
Initial action steps: To be determined.
Next meeting: To be determined.
Team Name: DISTRICT ENERGY
Point person: Rich Sedano, RapSedano@aol.com
Team goal: Deploy district energy in Montpelier
Initial action steps: Meet to do mission statement, evaluate state of fact sheet/business plan, hear from downtown prospective customers, longer term mayor, T. Wallis
Next meeting: by email
Team Name: ENERGY COOPERATIVE
Point Person: Jon Budreski, jbudreski@solarworksinc.com
Team Goal: Establish a market for renewable products (i.e. B20) that are not widely available/accessible.
Initial Actions: Research B20 / Other Coops / Financing Options / Costs of Fuel Distribution / Invite Noatak (per Leigh).
Next Meeting: Thurs Mar 29th 530pm to 615pm at SolarWorks, 64 Main St., Montpelier
Team Name: GREEN BUILDING ORDINANCE /CODE / INCENTIVE GROUP
Point person: Jay White 793-1850 / jayrcwa@vermontel.net
Team goal: Research best practices, explore tax increase for vacant buildings, explore time of sale energy requirements
Initial action steps: To be determined.
Next meeting: April 12th, regular meeting to report back
Team Name: GREEN BUILDING RETROFIT
Point person: Ken Jones / kjones@gmied.org
Team goal: Reduce residential energy usage by 20%
Initial action steps: Develop educational clearinghouse for homeowner resources
Next meeting: April 2, 6pm, place TBA
Team Name: LIGHTBULBS
Point person: Catherine Bowes 225-5985 / bowes@nwf.org
Team goal: Replace lightbulbs!
Initial action steps: See flipchart
Next meeting: will schedule via email - no updates since 2007
Team Name: LOCAL ENERGY GENERATION
Point person: Gwen 223-9506 / ghallsmith@montpelier-vt.org
Team goal: Make Montpelier energy self-sufficient
Initial action steps: Convene a set of informational meetings in neighborhoods around the city on topics such as micro-hydro, wind, solar, geothermal, etc
Next meeting: Main Street Middle School Library, April 3, 7pm
Team Name: LOCAL FOOD
Point person: Johanna Miller, 223-2328 ext. 112 / jmiller@vnrc.org
Team goal: Increase production and consumption of locally grown food while at the same time decreasing the consumption of foods from far-off places.
Initial action steps: Sift through all the good brainstormed ideas from the Energy Summit and identify the 2-3 initial actions to take (and lead people to organize etc).
Next meeting: An upcoming Monday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the Vermont Natural Resources Council's office (9 Bailey Avenue, Montpelier). Exact date to be determined via email.
Team Name: MONTPELIER TRANSPORTATION
Point person: TBA - original contact has relocated
Team goal: Transportation within Montpelier - improved traffic flows, transit center
Initial action steps: Prioritize, meet, establish goals, figure out who to connect with (planning committee, city council, etc)
Next meeting: To be determined.
Team Name: REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
Point person: Bill Finnegan 238-9355 / wmfinnegan@gmail.com
Team goal: More regional buses, incentives
Initial action steps: Organize meeting, figure out priorities, explore bus/train/other options
Next meeting: will schedule via email
Even with 150 energized citizens, accomplishing change in our energy future is going to be a lot of hard work for the Action Teams and the Montpelier Energy Team. If you are interested in learning more about the effort and joining in to make Montpelier a leader in addressing the problems of increasing use of fossil fuels, contact us.
