The Sharon Academy Seniors
Testify at The Statehouse

On Thursday, March 8, the entire senior class of The Sharon Academy, who also happen to all be members of Brian Tonks’ Energy and the Environment class, traveled to Montpelier to testify in front of the House Transportation Committee on incentives to encourage fuel efficiency in vehicles.

This is the second year in a row that TSA has been part of the legislative process, and those who went were impressed by the interest shown in their research and efforts to create responsible proposals.

These proposals included creating a public relations campaign to encourage people to buy local products, thus eliminating the need for extensive transport. Also, requiring the use of biodiesel in state-owned vehicles and mandating a gradual increase in the bio-content of fuels at the pump.

Research into these issues made the students aware that no database exists for municipally-owned vehicles in Vermont. This becomes important when creating legislation. Each town knows what vehicles it owns, and taxpayers certainly know the cost of new vehicles, but no platform exists for studying the impact of state initiatives such as mandating the use of biodiesel in all municipal vehicles. For this reason, suggestion three was to create a statewide database.

Legislators were also encouraged to support initiatives to make people aware of the wastefulness of letting vehicles idle.

"Ten seconds of idling wastes more gas than would be used if you turned off the car and started it up again," according to Kane Sherlock.

Finally, the students supported an increase in the gas tax as a disincentive to driving, with proceeds from the tax going to assist consumers in buying more energy efficient vehicles.

Students from TSA were also treated to the governor's weekly press conference. Alli Diehlmann of Tunbridge and Leigh Riley of Strafford both found this a high point of the day.

"We got to mingle with everyone at the press conference," said Diehlmann. Both young women felt they were well received by the legislators, and were impressed with the intense questioning they received.

"Sonny Audette was particularly worried about our proposal's impact on farmers," said Riley, "and Sue Minter loved our buy local campaign idea."

"This trip validates the work these students have done, and engages them in the legislative process in ways which may continue well beyond graduation," said Tonks. "We certainly hope to be invited back each year, as our students gather to choose what energy issue to tackle."

Last year, students testified about electrical generation. Next year's group is already debating between manufacturing and heating spaces.

____________