Vermont Public Radio: Congressman Peter Welch fights to cut greenhouse emissions from US Capitol building

Below find the NPR script behind this story that aired on Vermont Public Radio or VPR.

Suggested host intro: Democratic Vermont Congressman Peter Welch has been a leader on green initiatives in the US House. Today (Thursday) he and Democratic leaders announced a plan to cut greenhouse emissions at the Capitol building. Matt Laslo reports.

NARR: The Capitol complex is estimated to release as much C – O – two annually as 17,000 cars. The goal is for the US House to reduce its carbon footprint by fifty percent in the next ten years. Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin summed up their efforts.  

DURBIN1-BUILDING

:09 We want to make this nineteenth century building a twenty first century example when it comes to greening the capitol and energy efficiency

Congressman Welch is only a freshman but has focused on the issue.

WELCH1 - FIRST OFFICE

:08 I began working on this the first week in Congress. We made our office carbon neutral – the first office in Congress to be carbon neutral

The plan is to purchase electricity from renewable sources, like wind and solar. They will change light bulbs and put in an ethanol gas pump near the Capitol. Welch says what members do at the Capitol will make a difference.

WELCH2-LOCAL

:20 the technology we have to use is local, and the jobs that we create are local. So if this country takes on the challenge of reducing its carbon footprint that will create jobs locally and is gonna create stronger economies locally so it is the type of thing that if implemented with real energetic policy nationally it can be implemented with real benefit at the local level 

Critics note that four blocks from the Capitol is a coal burning plant used to heat and cool the building. Some members have tried to shut it down, but Senators from coal producing states have blocked every attempt.

For Vermont Public Radio, I’m Matt Laslo on Capitol Hill.