But ask Moore his preference in the race and the cofounder of the Waterbury-based SunCommon solar company — and former clean energy advocate for Vermont Public Interest Research Group — will sidestep the question.
Instead, on Monday, he pivoted quickly to embrace the governor he got over the governor he might have wanted.
“I’m thrilled that he’s here with us,” Moore said as Scott agreed to spend his very first press conference as governor highlighting a SunCommon solar project in Montpelier.
Scott’s morning appearance showing off the Hunger Mountain Co-op’s new solar canopy did reveal something about Vermont politics: All sides are quick to embrace reality, even as they struggle with their differences behind the scenes.
“I want to thank you for inviting me here today,” Scott told the team of SunCommon staff, touting companies like theirs as “exactly what we need” to attract young professionals to Vermont.
Scott and SunCommon celebrated their common ground while — for the moment — setting aside the fact that they don’t entirely agree about the future of renewable energy in Vermont.
Scott, while campaigning for governor, pledged to seek a moratorium on industrial-sized wind projects. Scott was invited to, but did not attend, Renewable Energy Vermont’s annual conference, which was held during the election stretch run.
But, he’s also long touted solar as a more sensible solution. Perfect for companies like SunCommon, right?
That clearly is what Moore had in mind when he invited Scott to join him on a balmy 2-degree morning to unveil the new solar canopy in Hunger Mountain’s parking lot. The $60,000 solar panel setup will chop 2 percent off the co-op’s electric bill while also offering shoppers’ cars shelter from the weather.
“We have a young but strong solar industry,” Moore said before the press conference started. And he knows that a governor has a lot of influence over how strong that industry stays. Moore said he’s hoping the state will keep a steady, predictable set of solar-siting regulations “that don’t whipsaw back and forth.”
That means, in his view, no changes to the siting law enacted last year, which is designed to give communities more say in where energy projects can be built.
Standing next to Moore at the podium in the Hunger Mountain parking lot, Scott had a different view. In addition to his push for a wind moratorium, he will seek changes to last year’s siting law, with the goal of giving communities even more influence over the siting of large-scale solar projects. Such a stance could slow or derail future renewable energy projects.
“I would like to see more input,” Scott said.
Were those shivers going up the spines of Moore and the other renewable energy fans surrounding him? It was a chilly day, after all.
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While last session’s new law may have been designed to give communities more say in where energy projects can be built, that is not how it has worked out. As many critics predicted, Governor Shumlin’s DPS overreached when it established standards for regional and municipal planners.
The net effect of Act 174 has been to enlist the state’s regional planning commissions in the effort to strong-arm communities. The plan is to have RPCs identify locations where industrial solar and wind could go and force municipalities to put out the welcome mat. One RPC (TRORC) has identified locations in 28 of its 30 towns where industrial wind turbines could go. These towns include the Norwich (home town of PSB member Margaret Cheney) and Randolph (home to former DPS Commissioner Chris Recchia).
Some towns have already decided they’re not going to play. Other towns (and more than one RPC) are delaying–they are counting on the Scott administration to introduce some sanity into the siting of renewables and Act 174’s standards.
Good post, Mark. Act 174 was a whitewash in its purest form. Its advocates tried to imply they were addressing the public’s siting concerns, when it actually did little to improve the situation. And, in fact, it even made the situation worse in many instances.
It was good to see Scott at this event. It shows he is not against renewable energy, as many with an agenda try to portray him. He just believes the public should have more input, and we should not be devastating our ridgelines and ecosystems with blasting, road-building, and clear-cutting for giant turbines. Many environmentalists agree with him. Everyone should see the photos from Lowell Mountain and most recently from Deerfield.
How refreshing to see this glimmer of hope and common sense when it comes to renewable energy objectives. You might call it a welcome change in the wind. Contrary to doom and gloom predictions from those obsessively committed to industrial wind, most Vermonters are beginning to recognize that noble goals can indeed be reached by using innovative solutions and the proper tool like the one found in this story. Thanks to Governor Scott for redefining the conversation, and to SunCommon for demonstrating how to be innovative in a Vermont way in our renewable energy objectives. Suddenly the future looks a little brighter.