Last summer, a wicked storm hit the state of Vermont, causing catastrophic damage to homes, businesses, and city and state facilities as the Green Mountain State was inundated with rain for a couple of days. Other Northeastern and New England states were also affected, of course, but Vermont was hit very hard. The natural disaster even became known as the 'Great Vermont Flood.'
Thankfully, only a few people lost their lives in Vermont, though emergency responders were busy around the clock performing water rescues as rivers flooded and parts of the state recorded nearly 10 inches of rain in just two days.
This week, Vermont passed legislation that is a TOTALLY sane and rational response to that bad weather. In the grand tradition of never letting a crisis go to waste, they blamed ... the oil companies.
Because of course, they did.
On May 31, rather than veto a ridiculous bill aimed at punishing oil companies for rain, Republican Governor Phil Scott let the Climate Superfund Act pass into law without his signature.
Vermont becomes 1st state to require oil companies pay for damage from climate change https://t.co/237BSJeKzS
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 31, 2024
In Scott's defense, Democrats have massive majorities in Vermont's House and Senate, so even if he had vetoed the bill, as expected, that wouldn't have slowed it down too much. He still should have done it on principle but, of course, he is up for re-election in November.
The AP provided details on how the law will work:
Under the legislation, the Vermont state treasurer, in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, would provide a report by Jan. 15, 2026, on the total cost to Vermonters and the state from the emission of greenhouse gases from Jan. 1, 1995, to Dec. 31, 2024. The assessment would look at the effects on public health, natural resources, agriculture, economic development, housing and other areas. The state would use federal data to determine the amount of covered greenhouse gas emissions attributed to a fossil fuel company.
It’s a polluter-pays model affecting companies engaged in the trade or business of extracting fossil fuel or refining crude oil attributable to more than 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions during the time period. The funds could be used by the state for such things as upgrading stormwater drainage systems; upgrading roads, bridges and railroads; relocating, elevating or retrofitting sewage treatment plants; and making energy efficient weatherization upgrades to public and private buildings. It’s modeled after the federal Superfund pollution cleanup program.
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How is this different from a Mafia shakedown again?
And oh, look at that. The law is retroactive as well.
While this law is sure to undergo long and expensive legal battles now, Twitter had a better idea of what the oil companies should do in response.
Oil companies would be wise to stop delivering any product to Vermont. Let them return to horses and fire wood. Let’s see how long before the whining begins. I give it 24 hours.
— Joseph Gelman (@ifofgot) May 31, 2024
So don’t sell gas or oil in Vermont
— KayDreamer (@kaydreamer11) May 31, 2024
Let ‘em freeze
Cool, stop selling oil, gas, and other petroleum products to any people or businesses based in Vermont.
— JV (@spectrejv) May 31, 2024
There are lots of trees in Vermont. They should be able to provide plenty of warmth, not to mention drive the economy, without needing those mean old oil companies.
Vermont just told oil companies they don’t need any more gas or oil https://t.co/RUzibPX7Ib
— Dr Strangetweet 🍌 Or How I Learned To Love The RT (@lone_rides) May 31, 2024
Enjoy the next Nor'easter to swing through New England, Vermont.
Double the price of all deliveries to Vermont.
— GTRxMan 🇺🇸 (@gtrxman) May 31, 2024
Twitter was just full of great ideas.
A government is suing an industry who is regulated by these governments on environmental impacts.
— Bill Dubs (@billdubs) May 31, 2024
Did #Vermont attach themselves, and the Vermont DEC, plus @EPA to the businesses they’re suing as well?
After all, these entities dictated to that industry what guidelines they…
It's insane.
Obviously, as much fun as it would be to see (and not so much fun for Vermonters to experience) Vermont get cut off, oil and gas companies cannot get away with refusing to deliver energy to the state. But if those companies are so bad, why does Vermont even want their products?
Vermont should ban the sale of gasoline and diesel in their state https://t.co/Al8rPDxmlU
— Oilfield Rando (@Oilfield_Rando) May 31, 2024
They won't do that. Because it's not about the environment and it sure isn't about some fake 'climate crisis.' It is about control ... and money.
Speaking of which, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what the result is going to be.
This will raise the price of literally everything. Everything. https://t.co/WSX4QpganQ
— Jake13th 🏴☠️ (@JakeThirteenth) June 1, 2024
Ya' think?
Oil is used for everything and these costs will be passed onto consumers thru higher plastic and transportation costs. Lock in that 7% mortgage now kids. Inflation isn't going away. https://t.co/aK68W1FZ8b
— Line Creek Loudmouth (@LCLoudmouth) May 31, 2024
And food costs. And the cost of all services in the state. And ... and ... and ...
Is it offset by the benefits of the oil that was provided to the state or nah?
— Lynn (@rayofsonshine15) May 31, 2024
No, they never want to think about the BENEFITS of modern energy. Only how fossil fuels are KILLING THE PLANET.
... Or something.
It’s happening! https://t.co/ArXN6Kxmfn pic.twitter.com/DD201bcInM
— AcceptableOpinions (@TolerantOpinion) May 31, 2024
That's an apt literary reference. It's only a matter of time before Vermont rolls out an 'Equalization of Opportunity' bill.
This is what you get when you combine communism, hippies and a eunuch rino governor https://t.co/1FXzgzQQPL
— Sig, tap rack bang Tomasky (@RudyUsed) May 31, 2024
Folks in VT been screaming about high taxes and other issues real folks have to deal with, yet this is what the legislature’s been working on. I’m sure they’ll spend the revenue on important things like trans rights and DEI. https://t.co/NLEIpn9DWR
— Kelley Verkleir (@Upstatebigmouth) May 31, 2024
Oh, the government of Vermont SURELY won't waste all that new revenue, right?
Right?
Insanity https://t.co/hxEwtYjkgt
— E=MC HAMMERTIME (@scs_real) May 31, 2024
What a very stupid thing to do. https://t.co/nDixp2mgAF
— Mark Noonan (@Mark_E_Noonan) May 31, 2024
That it is. Both of those things.
But it will be fun to watch Vermont slowly find out what kind of prizes you tend to win when you play stupid games.
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