Senate President Urges Treasurer to Reconsider Opposition to Fossil Fuel Divestment
Vermont’s Senate leader has called on State Treasurer Beth Pearce to reconsider her opposition to divesting state pensions from fossil fuel companies. Sen. Tim Ashe, D/P-Chittenden, sent a letter to Pearce on Oct. 2 asking her office to reevaluate its position on fossil fuel divestment. Pearce has said eliminating coal, oil and gas investments in the state pension portfolio would increase risk and add costs. Ashe tweeted the letter this week: “I have always believed that investment decisions should be as free from political interference as possible for fear of turning the pension system into a political piñata,” he wrote in the letter. “So I am asking you in your role as State Treasurer to reevaluate the factors that previously led you and your staff to reject divestment from fossil fuels to determine whether that historical judgment still stands.” See the link below for the rest of the letter and article.
https://vtdigger.org/2019/10/17/senate-president-urges-treasurer-to-reconsider-opposition-to-fossil-fuel-divestment/
State Unveils “Cap-and-Invest” System for Lowering Carbon Emissions
A multi-state initiative that would lower emissions in Vermont’s transportation sector could transform the way gas and diesel is sold in the state. The Transportation and Climate Initiative is a cap-and-invest system in which fuel suppliers would be required to buy carbon allowances through an auction system. Twelve Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states can opt into the proposal. The initiative was launched in December 2018 and a final proposal will be released in December. Peter Walke, deputy secretary of the state Agency of Natural Resources and Vermont’s representative for the initiative, presented the plan at the Renewable Energy Vermont conference on Thursday, October 10th. https://vtdigger.org/2019/10/11/emissions-initiative-unveils-cap-and-invest-system/
US Government Affairs Updates
(as reported by ASHRAE.org, 10-24-2019 partial topics listing)
- Air-Conditioning the Outdoors
- IEA Predicts Renewable Energy Capacity Will Expand
- Letter From Manufacturers Backing Legislation on HFC Phase-Down
- House Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Hearing on Realistic Pathways to Achieving Net-Zero Emissions
- DOE Secretary to Resign Later This Year
- DOE Public Meeting Schedule for the Variable Refrigerant Flow Multi-Split Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Working Group
For detailed information on the above topics, visit the ASHRAE Government Affairs Update website page at: https://www.magnetmail.net/Actions/email_web_version.cfm?publish=newsletter&user_id=ASHRAE&message_id=17602102
Rob Ward
GAC Committee