Yantachka named a Renewable Energy Legislative Champion

At Renewable Energy Vermont’s 18th annual Conference and Exposition, held October 18 and 19 in Burlington, the organization conferred on Charlotte Representative Mike Yantachka its Renewable Energy Legislative Champion award for his contributions to advancing renewable energy in Vermont as a member of the House Energy & Technology Committee, the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR) and the climate caucus.

The theme of the conference was REVitalize: Transforming Energy Further, Faster, Together, and in recognizing Yantachka, REV specifically cited his work with his legislative colleagues to ensure that the money the state received from the federal government from its settlement with Volkswagon was used to support the increased use of electricity as a source of power for vehicles and other mobile sources of air pollution and greenhouse gases. REV also cited legislation Yantachka sponsored to reduce the cost of renewable generation and to expand it to developed areas like parking lots and rooftops.

“The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) presents a dire outlook for our planet if we fail to step up to the task of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels in the next 12 years. This problem has to be tackled today. We can’t wait for a year, and we can’t wait for the federal government to take action under the current administration. We will not wish this problem away,” said Rep. Mike Yantachka. “Vermont, with other states in our region and across the country, must act now, in the next session, to take steps to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, especially in the transportation and heating sectors of energy consumption.  We will get a bill to the Governor’s desk by the end of the next session.”