Political Courage on Vermont Yankee

Below please find a news release issued today by labor, business, and community leaders commending Senators Flory, Mazza, Scott and Starr for their votes yesterday opposing the Senate’s rush to judgment on Vermont Yankee.

Contacts: 
William Driscoll (802)743-7556 or wdriscoll@aiv.org
George Clain (802) 841-5864 ext.11 or ghc@ibewlocal300.org
 
Labor, Business and Community Leaders Join to Commend Political Courage of those Opposing Rush to Judgment on Vermont Yankee
 
Montpelier, VT/February 25, 2010 – Member associations of the Vermont Coalition for Employment and Prosperity, together with the IBEW Local #300 and Vermont Building Trades Unions today commended the political courage of the following four Senators who voted for the Vermont State Senate to take more time to evaluate whether Vermont Yankee should be part of the state’s electricity portfolio:
 
Peg Flory (R-Rutland)
Richard Mazza (D- Grand Isle)
Phil Scott (R-Washington)
Bobby Starr (D-Essex/Orleans)
 
George Clain, President of the IBEW Local 300 said, “We thought this was the jobs session, not the fewer jobs session.  These four senators clearly understand the consequences of closing down Vermont Yankee; the 1,300 jobs and the more than $93 million in wages paid annually that will be lost,” said Clain.
 
Mike Ball, Chairman, Town of Vernon Select Board said, “It was good to see some senators looking out for the interests of Windham County.  Listening to the debate I didn’t feel that there was a fair representation of all the issues.”
 
 William Driscoll, Vice President of Associated Industries of Vermont said, “These senators have shown that they care about jobs and are willing to make difficult and statesman-like votes to sustain jobs in the state, aid in its economic recovery, and secure its future prosperity.”
 
Jane Clifford, President of the Green Mountain Diary Farmers Cooperative Federation said, “We thank Senators Flory, Mazza, Scott and Starr for not buying into the political grandstanding.  Resolving the tritium issue and restoring trust are critical, but this vote speaks to our economic survival over the next 20 years."