(This discussion began in the comments on an unrelated thread and I think it deserves a stand-alone place in our front-page conversation – promoted by Sue Prent)

Vermonters for a Clean Environment has been looking into the composition of the Natural Resources Board, which consists of the Natural Resources Panel and the Water Resources Panel, and the various District Commissions – the bureaucracy that runs the Act 250 process.  These are the people who hear Act 250 permit applications, and interact with citizens and businesses on a daily basis to (theoretically) ensure that Vermont’s values of environmental protection and citizen involvement are protected.

What we have found is troubling.  Of the 14 Board/Panel members for example, 7 are unconfirmed Douglas appointees (including the Vice Chair), and there are 2 vacancies.  Only 5 of 14 have been confirmed by the Senate. Governor Douglas made several of his appointments just before leaving office, selections that included a retiring Republican legislator and a former member of his cabinet.

Mention the confirmation of gubernatorial appointees and many Vermonters will remember the 1994 confirmation process that threw three of Vermont’s best environmentalists, Elizabeth Courtney, Terry Ehrich, and Nundy Bongartz, off the Environmental Board.  Then-Governor Howard Dean did not defend his appointees.  Now we have a new Democrat as Governor who has been treated to a parting gift by Governor Douglas.  Some of these seats are four year terms, so the NRB as it currently exists will be carrying out the policies of the Douglas administration – for example to see businesses, not the environment, as the “customer” served by the permitting process – unless action is taken, and soon.  Under Douglas, the “do-nothing” NRB chose not to intervene in Environmental Court cases to defend its permits or rules.

The Senate Natural Resources Committee is the committee of jurisdiction charged with confirming NRB appointees.  Yesterday the Administration sent the Committee Chair an email stating that they fully support the Douglas Administration’s appointments, to these and other positions throughout state government.

This isn’t about partisan politics or playing favorites, it’s about policy differences.  Does Governor Shumlin care enough about the environment to make a clear distinction between the land use philosophy and policies of his Administration and the one that preceded his?  Apparently not.

You can find more about this issue, including background documents, at http://vermontersforacleanenvi…