BDCC and SeVEDS provide statement of support for the town of Vernon in VY transfer proceeding
For release 7 p.m. January 4th, 2018
Contact: Adam Grinold, Executive Director, BDCC agrinold@brattleborodevelopment.com (c)802-780-7828
VERNON – The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) provided a statement of support for the town of Vernon for the public meeting on the proposed Northstar Entergy Vermont Yankee Transfer. The statement was endorsed by the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies Board.
BDCC’s statement of support for Vernon in the Docket 8880 proceeding
BDCC’s predominant interest in the closure and transfer of the plant is in mitigation of the tremendous long term negative economic impacts to Vernon and the region caused by the closure: loss of jobs, people, tax revenues and payroll.
Most existing U.S. nuclear power plants are located in small rural towns like Vernon. In the U.S., there is not a wealth of best practices available for towns like Vernon or entities like BDCC to consider as they plot out economic recovery from the closure of nuclear power plants. BDCC, in partnership with our federal delegation, both the Shumlin and Scott administrations, our private sector businesses, our sister agency Windham Regional Commission, our 27 town region’s municipalities and the Institute for Nuclear Host Communities has played a leadership role in helping Vernon, the State of Vermont, the Vermont Yankee tri-state labor shed and the U.S. begin to develop economic mitigation strategies for communities facing nuclear power plant closure.
BDCC takes no public position on the environmental, safety or financial aspects of either decommissioning or transfer of ownership of the plant. Many other organizations have been and continue to be focused on those aspects. BDCC and its affiliates, task forces and regional partners have taken a public position that the regional economy will be significantly impacted by the closure and loss of jobs and that public and private resources should be made available to mitigate those impacts.
The Vermont Yankee sale and potential for accelerated decommissioning versus SAFSTOR was greeted by BDCC with cautious optimism when it was announced in 2016. BDCC believes that if a safe accelerated decommissioning is environmentally and financially possible, that would be of greater benefit to the economic recovery of Vernon, the Windham region and the State of Vermont then SAFSTOR.
BDCC supports a PUC decision which will allow economic reuse and redevelopment of the site to realize the town’s goals including for recreational, new energy production, village center and/or industrial development uses as articulated in Vernon’s approved Town Plan.
In addition, BDCC generally supports the testimony regarding specific actions Vernon wishes to be considered in the PUC proceeding as provided by Robert Spencer’s November 15th 2017 testimony for Docket No. 8880.
In December of 2017 the BDCC board of trustees and staff met with Vernon Municipal leadership representatives to discuss BDCC participation in future PUC hearings. Recent data tells us Vernon and the Windham region will be feeling the economic impacts from the closure for at least the next 10 years. In addition to working to grow the region’s economy, BDCC will continue working in partnership with the Town of Vernon to help ensure that the towns vision for the future is achieved.
In addition to providing this statement of support for the town of Vernon, BDCC and SeVEDS have an extensive history regarding planning and implementation of strategies to mitigate the economic impacts resulting from the closure of the Vermont Yankee plant. Final BDCC_Vernon PUC Back Up Doc 12272017 (1)
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About BDCC: The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) is a 60 year old private, nonprofit economic development organization that serves as a catalyst for industrial and commercial growth throughout Southeastern Vermont, including Windham County and the towns of Readsboro, Searsburg, and Weston. BDCC serves as the State of Vermont’s certified Regional Development Corporation (RDC) for the greater Windham County area.
About SeVEDS: Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) is an affiliate of BDCC that grew from a 2008 grassroots effort, initiated by BDCC, to reverse the economic decline of the Windham Region and plan for the economic impacts from the closure of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. In 2014, after multiple years of regional input, education and data gathering, SeVEDS submitted the Windham Region’s federally recognized S.M.A.R.T. Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for federal approval.
For more information visit: www.seveds.com
