FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Amanda
Ibey
223-0575 (office) or 802-505-0406 (cell)
Vermont Business
Leaders Deeply Concerned
Over Energy
Pricing, Reliability
New Survey Also
Shows Attention to Efficiency; Strong Support for Vermont Yankee, Wind, Biomass
and Other Energy Options
Montpelier, VT/February 4, 2008 – A new survey of 256 business leaders
throughout Vermont finds strong concerns about energy costs and reliability,
overwhelming support for developing renewable sources of electricity and
approving the license renewal of Vermont Yankee, and that a majority of
respondents currently maintain efficiency and conservation measures in their
business operations.
“Vermont
businesses share common concerns about how competitive they can be without
reliable electricity provided at reasonable cost. With the commercial
sector accounting for 63 percent of Vermont’s electricity usage, these
findings are particularly important as the Department of Public Service and
State Legislature seek the input of Vermonters in determining the state’s
energy future,” said Amanda Ibey, Executive Director of the Vermont
Energy Partnership which co-sponsored the survey.
“The business leaders participating in the poll represent a cross
section of companies, large and small, in diverse industries. Most were
founded in Vermont or have operated here at least 10 years. Businesses
are certainly concerned about costs but they also favor solutions that will
protect Vermont’s pristine environment – and address the issue of
global warming and carbon emissions,” said Ms. Ibey.
Key
findings include:
·
Vermont businesses are very concerned about
reliability, cost and the ramifications of high electricity prices.
o
73 percent do not believe they can remain
competitive if rates increase by over 20 percent.
o
59 percent believe the cost of electricity is
extremely or highly important.
o
86 percent are concerned the price of natural
gas will continue to rise.
·
Vermont businesses support a variety of
solutions and believe having diverse energy sources is important.
o
80 percent favor constructing large-scale wind
projects.
o
64 percent favor license renewal for Vermont
Yankee to 2032.
o
82 percent favor constructing more
hydro-generating plants.
o
73 percent favor construction of biomass power
plants.
o
54 percent have a policy or standard for
electricity efficiency or conservation.
o
56 percent have sought outside assistance for
energy efficiency training or services.
·
Vermont businesses are concerned about
carbon emissions and want to see these reduced.
o
66 percent believe it is important that Vermont
has the lowest carbon emissions in the country.
o
69 percent believe carbon emissions should be an
issue of major or somewhat concern.
o
By a more than two to one margin, 60 to 29
percent, businesses oppose construction of a coal plant in Vermont (coal is one
of the lowest cost and highest polluting forms of electricity).
o
63 percent favor recycling spent nuclear fuel to
produce electricity.
“Clearly
energy costs matter, as does having a supply we can count on so that Vermont
businesses can remain competitive. With growing concern over the economy,
it will be even more important to factor the concerns of Vermont’s
commercial sector in any discussion of the state’s electricity
future,” said Jim Harrison, President of the Vermont Grocers' Association,
which also co-sponsored the survey.
“These
compelling survey results should provide guidance for our state leaders as they
seek to engage Vermonters in the process of developing state energy policies
that will keep Vermont competitive and clean. Vermont businesses are
speaking loud and clear on the need to keep energy prices down, provide
reliable power, bring more renewable power to the state, and to keep Vermont
Yankee online,” said Duane Marsh, President of the Vermont Chamber of
Commerce, which also co-sponsored the survey.
Looking
to ensure that Vermont’s business community plays a role in the ongoing
process to determine Vermont’s energy future, the web-based survey of
business leaders was conducted from January 2 through January 25, 2008.
The respondents are all active members of one or more of the business
organizations that sponsored the survey.
Co-sponsors
of the survey are:
Associated General
Contractors
Associated Industries of
Vermont
Homebuilders &
Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont
Vermont Automobile Dealers
Association
Vermont Chamber of Commerce
Vermont Forest Product
Association
Vermont Fuel Dealers
Association
Vermont Grocers’
Association
The
survey results can be found at: http://www.vtep.org/documents/SurveyQuestionsandResponses.pdf
The
Vermont Energy Partnership is a diverse group of business, labor, and community
leaders committed to finding clean, low-cost and reliable electricity solutions
to ensure Vermont stays a great place to live and work. Our mission is to
educate policy makers, the media, businesses, and the general public about why
electricity is imperative for prosperity, and about the optimal solutions to
preserve and expand our electricity network.
-30-