A “Tipping Point” We Can Be Proud Of

On Friday, Philip Baruth of VT Daily Briefing posted this article entitled:

“The Penultimate Tipping Point On The Drive To Close Vermont Yankee Was Reached On January 14, In The Year Of Our Lord 2010.”

The connections Philip makes speak to the success of the walk and corresponding statehouse events as well as the political realities facing Entergy and its supporters. Speaking to Gov. Douglas’s need to condemn Entergy regarding the tritium leak and the company’s blatant misinformation campaign, Baruth notes,

No one wants disintegrating infrastructure as their signature legacy.

What does this mean for those of us working to see VY close it’s doors in 2012 and kick Entergy out? It means we need to ‘step up’ our citizen-led efforts and build on the energy generated from the walk. This means we take the overwhelming public support received by the walkers and place it in the lap of the VT legislature. While Entergy has certainly assisted in our efforts to convey they have no place here, it is up to us to make sure they legally have no place here.

In order to guarantee a firm “no” vote in the VT legislature this year, it needs to be abundantly clear the citizens of VT are supportive of a new energy era. Here’s what you can do:

Go to our Action Center and use the tools provided to take action. Letters to the Editor will be crucial over the next few months. Also, if you have not yet seen the film we screened for legislators on Wednesday, watch it and pass it on to others. Click Here to view it. Email, Facebook or Tweet this to everyone you know.

Finally, get others involved. Ask your friends, your neighbors and your family to participate. The voices of the People will inevitably close Vermont Yankee.

To the communities that took us in, the supporters, the cheerleaders and the tremendous positive energy: Thank you!

Chad Simmons

802.377.7403

www.safeandgreencampaign.org

“All We Have Are Our Feet and Our Voices."

Why We Walk film screened for legislators.

There is really no justice that can be done from what is to follow that can describe today’s events. The pictures and the words can convey a powerful story, but being in that room today with such passionate, committed souls and feeding off of their collective energy…We were there…alive.

Democracy certainly does exist in Vermont. I believe even the most hardened cynic of government and politics was moved as we proclaimed our desire to shed the toxic asset burdening the communities surrounding Vermont Yankee and legislators responded to our concerns and vision.

170 people bundled in thermals braved the frigid, but thankfully calm morning to complete the final six miles from Barre to the Statehouse steps (It was -1° when I walked out the door). School children, parents, teachers, business owners, builders, artists and social workers marched in solidarity to carry the message to legislators that Vermonters are ready to move beyond Entergy Vermont Yankee and the Enexus mess being hoisted upon us. Walkers arrived at the statehouse just after Noon, poised and excited about the day’s events. The mood was reminiscent of a large neighborhood block party, where friends and family commiserate and celebrate. A small cadre of TV cameras and photographers created a thin wall between the two sections of walkers sandwiched together, as the room seemed to swell. As the clock approached 12:30, a steady stream of curious legislators, lobbyist and supporters poured in to the Cedar Creek Rom of the statehouse.

Due to a last-minute call by Gov. Douglas announcing a bill signing (conveniently set for the same time?) participants and onlookers anxiously waited. As word got to us that Senator Shumlin and Shap Smith were in route, Betsy Williams took the mic. While the bulging crowd and cameras towered over her, Betsy’s words soared…and as soon as she began her introduction, you could feel the full force of the thousands of voices she carried with her. After a brief welcome, Betsy provided the framework for our announcement: Democracy is alive in Vermont, and as we made our way through community after community, it became abundantly clear that Vermonters want their democratically elected officials to end the toxic reign of Vermont Yankee. With a colossal print of the “Retire Vermont Yankee” petition to her right, Betsy proceeded to proclaim its contents. This was the first time I had heard it read aloud in its final form and instantly felt awash with a bizarre blend of jubilation, glee and calm. Walkers and supporters cheered, wildly at numerous points. Truthfully, as we approached 20 minutes, I became slightly anxious, as Senator Peter Shumlin and Representative Shap Smith were still in queue to speak. But that was fleeting. Betsy closed with: “No discount electricity rate that Entergy may offer Vermonters can justify failing to take advantage of this opportunity. It is simply the right thing to do. Future generations will thank you for doing it,” and with that, presented Peter and Shap each with a petition, signed by 1,656 individuals.

Senator Shumlin then took the stage. At that point, the crowd had inflated to beyond the petite-sized door towards the cafeteria and I was pushed to the outer limits of the scene. No matter, the vibes permeated the entire statehouse. Let me just say that Senator Shumlin went out on a political limb, if you will, for Vermont, his constituents, supporters as well as the people of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The crowd erupted as he unequivocally proclaimed his desire to see Vermont Yankee retired. He then took the next few minutes to detail and articulately argue the plethora of reasons why Vermont Yankee and the Enexus/Entergy scheme is a bad deal for Vermont. If the point-by-point reading of the petition wasn’t enough, Senator Shumlin detailed the germane issues currently before the legislature and on the front pages of every news outlet in VT, including recent findings of tritiated water, a woefully underfunded decommissioning fund and the preposterous corporate trickery known to us as Enexus. As the press conference concluded, Bob suggested to Senator Shumlin he might want to think about running for governor. The Senator agreed.

Speaker Shap Smith remarked about the arduous task set before the legislature regarding the looming vote. He concluded his comments with "I'm the father of an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old, and I don't want them asking me, 'dad when you had the opportunity why didn't you make them pay up and why are we paying for it now'?" Well said Speaker.

As the camera crews picked up and the legislators dispersed, the walkers, supporters and remaining curious folk were left in an ecstatic daze. This isn’t an everyday occurrence for most of us. The thrill and deep sense of purpose and accomplishment lifted us all. The walkers proceeded to grab a bite in the university common-like cafeteria. Organizers took a few minutes to catch our bearings and then began to prepare for the afternoon “legislative meet & greet” planned between 3:00-4:00pm. As 3:00 approached and I was scurrying to tweak the sound, the cafeteria filled with walkers, supporters and a drizzle of legislators. The Windham County delegation gets big props for shuffling their schedules and being true champions, encouraging other legislators to join us. Senator Jeanette White mentioned to me she even announced it on the floor of the senate yesterday. Audrey Garfield welcomed folks and shared her poignant reflections and the significance of today’s and proceeding day's events. She then introduced Chris Martin, Nancy Braus and Clara as they each shared their stories about the 126-mile trek in the name of democracy and acting on behalf of future generations. The three added a humbling element to the day’s events and provided a raw glimpse into the answer ‘why we walk?’ We then screened a short film, projecting the numerous voices and faces of people walking to close VY. It concluded with an urgent request that legislators vote “no” to the continued operation of Vermont Yankee. The sing-a-long was a spunky touch I thought, but possibly a touch too ‘gentle’ for the legislators. Audrey eloquently concluded the program and invited legislators in attendance to converse with walkers. The next hour was spent mingling, sharing stories and articulating to legislators our desire, and nearly everyone we met along the way, to stop the continued operation of VY.

All told my friends, a sincerely monumental day and something we should all be tremendously proud of…not to mention fortunate that we still have the ability to directly participate in the democratic process. But the work is far from over. As we awake on Thursday, the challenge to trump the Entergy/Enexus media-machine intensifies. As Deb Katz (Executive Director of the Citizens Awareness Network) responds to the question “what can we do?” We need “every Who in Whoville” to step up and act. We can be proud today, but tomorrow we must activate with the kind of vigor and unflinching passion I know we are capable of. Click Here to go to our Action Center or call me to plug in to our ongoing efforts to close VY this legislative session.

Thank you for everyone’s truly inspiring support. Each aspect of the walk could not have been possible without the support and unwavering dedication of the people. I will post the flood of news reports on today’s events at the very bottom of this post and they come in. Is everyone as tickled as I am when the “I Am VY” web-ad pops up when clicking on web articles? Ohhh, that Entergy/Enexus!

Click Here for the full album of photos. Thank you David Shaw, Cate Woolner and all the walkers for the beautiful photographs to complete our story!

See you on the streets! One way or another.

Cheers!

Chad Simmons

802.377.7403

PS: I would be remised to not mention, that while today was a powerful day for us all, we were all deeply saddened to see the news reports come out of Haiti about the devastating earthquake. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti.

News 'Clippings':

Rutland Herald

Times Argus

Burlington Free Press

Voices Will Rise…Like the River’s Steam

Ahhh, I love to be reminded why I live in Vermont…the meandering streams, quiet roads and the tremendously hospitable people. This past weekend, I was finally able to join the crew as we stretched from Sharon to South Royalton and on to East Randolph. Before I share the journal entries from other walkers gathered this weekend, let me say this: Vermont Yankee will close. Not because of the stockpile of waste, tritiated water or the preposterous scheme to create a debt-riddled shell corporation (although, that’s not a sexy top-3 list), no. Vermont Yankee will close because Vermonters have a voice. Democracy is thriving in Vermont. It is abundantly clear the people are fully behind retiring Vermont Yankee on schedule. It is now up to the democratically elected legislature to see to it, that those voices are respected.

Check out the VPR story that ran 1/12 that sums it up: Click Here.

Walk on:

I had imagined my weekend would be spent reading books, feeding the fire, and taking walks on my snowshoes. Instead, I found by accident—or so it seems—the Safe and Green Campaign in South Royalton, and decided to walk a one day stretch with the group in support. That itself isn’t too remarkable…what worked very well was that the group was the coming day without a warm inside place for lunch, and I happened to know some friends along the day’s route. Well, inside thirty minutes, those friends had found a space for us in a local church, well heated by wood, and in an ideal spot along the way.Torsti RovainenChelsea, Vermont

An email from Leo entitled “Caffeine”

Yet one more item that the crew totally nailed-- all in all an incredible effort thanks

North Hartland lunch stop:

Miracles happen! I joined the walk Monday night in Springfield. I heard walkers talking about not having a place to stop for lunch on Wednesday. While walking on Tuesday I noticed how important it was to have an inside place for lunch. So I looked up the name of the only place I knew in North Hartland, a pottery shop. The walkers said most likely a pottery shop would not let 20 winter dressed people with packs come in to sit down. I called Information but they did not have a phone number for the pottery shop. So the next day since I could only walk part of the way and I reached my car I drove to the pottery shop and not only did the owner agree to let us have lunch at the pottery sop but she went out to get a copy of the local newspaper, since we were on the front page, and she asked the walkers to autograph her copy of our photo. She said she was honored to have us for lunch and put out tablecloths. As group of walkers doing up to 16 miles a day we appreciated the stop. The locals were responding more and more as we got local press coverage walking through the state. I call it a true miracle having someone open their business to 20 strangers. Laura Simon, Wilder, VT

Vermont is so incredibly beautiful. Walking today from South Royalton to East Bethel through this beautiful, lovely river valley, I was so grateful for this peaceful, quiet, pristine land we call home. We are all part of this land. I worry what would happen if a radioactive cloud covered our farms, hills and rivers? It is outrageous and immoral to continue to allow this accident-prone, outdated plant to continue.

I wonder, what are we about? Have we become so disconnected from this natural, beautiful place? This is Verd Mont. It is in the state’s name. I see the Green Mountains all around us as we walk. Vermont has the potential to become the leader in renewable, safe and GREEN energy. Kip Moeller – Colrain, MA

This walk has proved to me that the great majority of people, at least along our route up the Connecticut River Valley into the White River Valley, support shutting down Vermont Yankee, the sooner the better. The response from drivers and residents along the way has been multiple thumbs ups, “thank you for what you are doing” comments, and a very small percentage of disapproving drivers. As we have walked along the way, we have been welcomed into homes, community centers, a pottery studio, coops, and always with gratitude.

Thank you to the rest of our group and the enlightened state of Vermont, which will tell the nuclear industry to pack up and leave. Nancy Braus, Putney, VT

With that, the day has come to rock the Statehouse. Within hours, dozens of walkers will take to the streets one last time to complete the last 6 miles of the walk…poised to share the resounding call to close the toxic liability rattling on the banks of the Connecticut. We’ll be seeing you on the streets.

Chaderoo

PS: It seems as if we have attracted followers...of the radioactive kind, if you will. They even decided to join us at a few of our forums and take notes. Check out their blog, it’s cute! YesVY

PSS: Thank you Nancy Braus, Cate Woolner for today's pics!

PSSS: Alright, this is it. Check out John Mingle's piece from AllVoices.com here. John was gracious enough to spend a couple days with us on the road.