GOV. SHUMLIN STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PLAN TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE

MONTPELIER – August 4, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Gov. Peter Shumlin issued the following statement after President Obama unveiled new environmental regulations to combat climate change and promote renewable energy.

“Today is a good day for the planet. President Obama has outlined the boldest step to date to combat climate change and ensure a livable world for future generations. Under his plan, America will move off the dirty energy that is polluting our environment, damaging our health, and threatening our future. Instead, we will move towards an energy future that relies on renewable energy, protects our planet, and creates new jobs for hard working Americans.

“The critics of today’s announcement should look to the example of Vermont where we have taken the lead in implementing the President’s vision for a clean energy future and shown that doing so can be good for ratepayers and the economy. In the last four and a half years we have increased by more than ten times the amount of solar installed or on the way, doubled our Standard Offer program, expanded net metering by sevenfold, cut the price of solar in half, and increased wind generation by 20 times. All of that activity supports a clean energy economy with over 15,000 jobs and has helped lead to two successive electric bill decreases for customers of Vermont’s largest utility.”