Jeffords introduces legislation to reduce greenhouse gas pollution

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-VT, today introduced sweeping legislation that will for the first time set the United States on a path to decrease and, in time, reverse the emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

Jeffords, the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, made the announcement at a noontime rally.

“The science is clear, mankind is heating the planet in a manner that is destructive,” said Jeffords in a statement. “We can no longer afford to watch from the sidelines. We are a nation of innovators, and we have the skills to develop the technology to make these needed changes.

Jefords was joined by other senators at the rally, including co-sponsor Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA.

"This legislation is a flexible and forward-thinking approach to combating the threat of global warming. Senator Jeffords has laid down an important marker for us to work toward, so that our children and our grandchildren will see that we had the wisdom and leadership to choose a better path for our world,” said Boxer.

Jeffords said the legislation would:

• Require that the U.S. reduce its emissions between 2010 and 2020 to 1990 levels.  By 2030, the U.S. must reduce its emissions by one-third of 80 percent below 1990 levels, by 2040 by two-thirds of 80 percent below 1990 levels and by 2050, to a level that is 80 percent below 1990 levels.
• Require that power plants, automobiles and carbon intensive businesses reduce their global warming pollution
• Have the National Academy of Sciences report to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Congress to determine whether goals of the act have been met.
• Require the U.S. to derive 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
  Establish energy efficiency standards similar those found in California and ten other states.
• Invest in innovative technologies.

Senators joining Jeffords and Boxer as original co-sponsors are Frank Lautenberg, D-NJ, Edward M. Kennedy, D-MA, Patrick Leahy, D-VT, Jack Reed, D-RI, Daniel Akaka, D-HI, Chris Dodd, D-CT, Paul Sarbanes, D-MD, and Robert Menendez, D-NJ.

For more information, including a PDF of the full text of the bill, visit www.jeffords.senate.gov.

Ambassadors of Vermont music

BURLINGTON — Green mountains, maple syrup, cows … and rock bands?

A year ago, several welcome centers in Vermont agreed install digital hardware that allowed visitors to listen to a selection of Vermont-based musical artists as a means to create more exposure for local bands and singers.

This summer, new jukeboxes are being installed in 10 additional welcome centers. Each jukebox contains thousands of songs from a wide variety of Vermont musicians, chosen at random, from complete albums stored in the machines.

“Showcasing Vermont music for our visitors has been a real plus,” said Edward von Turkovich, director of the Department of Buildings and General Services’ Welcome Center Division. “Visitors comment on how much they like the music and marvel at the eclectic mix.”

In addition to the jukeboxes, the project is also providing more information to visitors to help them find local venues to hear live music, and how to buy some of the music.

According to statistics from a 2005 Vermont Information Center Division report, visitors to the welcome centers last year totaled 3,819,895 overall, conveying how many travelers enter the state by car and who are potentially going to be exposed to Vermont music through this program.

The Vermont Jukebox project has been made possible by a collaboration between Big Heavy World’s Vermont Music Library and Shop and the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services.

For more information, visit www.vmls.org.

Posted July 21, 2006

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