Vermont Democratic Party

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, INVESTMENT and CONSERVATION:

A healthy environment is essential to overall public health, and therefore to Vermont's economy and quality of life. We recognize global climate change as the major challenge of our time. We accept our moral and ethical obligation to do all that we can to protect and conserve our environment, for ourselves and for future generations. Therefore, we are committed to the rigorous and consistent enactment and impartial enforcement of appropriate environmental laws and regulations.

1. Investment in Sustainability:

1. We support sustainable business principles, and will continue to encourage local businesses that keep profits circulating within our local communities and statewide.

2. We support private and public investment in conservation and other energy-efficiency measures to achieve energy independence and reduce basic energy costs for Vermonters.

3. We are committed to sustainable energy investment within Vermont’s borders, providing jobs, training, ownership, and accountability to Vermonters. We support the investment of labor and money in inventing, producing, and distributing new technologies that harness renewable energy resources such as, but not limited to: solar, geothermal, biomass, and wind.

2. Conservation and Environmental Protection:

1. We respect private property rights and support regulations and laws that: discourage pollution and wasteful land consumption; promote conservation of Vermont’s working landscape of farm and forest lands; and protect threatened and endangered species. We support the goals of Vermont’s land-use planning laws and other foundations of environmental law such as the Endangered Species Act.

2. We will support research into and promote new designs and technologies that prevent or mitigate habitat-loss and preserve a sustainable environment.

3. We must establish systems to control or mitigate problematic runoff from all sources to create cleaner watersheds. We will equitably and rigorously enforce all applicable laws for sewage treatment and runoff.

3. Transportation:

1. Investment in transportation infrastructure facilitates employment, expands economic and cultural opportunities, and strengthens family ties. We support incentives for the expansion of alternative and public transportation, including commuter and passenger rail and urban and rural bus services with priority to underserved areas and people.

2. We will make it a priority to restore and maintain the integrity and safety of our transportation network. We will seek to preserve highways, decrease carbon emissions, and lower transportation costs by shifting freight traffic to a modernized rail system wherever possible.