On Sunday, I wrote a letter to Rep. David Deen, chair of the House Ethics Panel. I requested a review of Rep. Adam Greshin’s activities surrounding H.40, the RESET renewable energy bill. Greshin had proposed an amendment to freeze funding for Efficiency Vermont, and has vigorously campaigned for its adoption in both the House and Senate.
Greshin is co-owner of the Sugarbush ski resort. As I previously noted in this space:
The ski industry is a voracious consumer of electricity.
Efficiency Vermont is funded by ratepayers, with rates approved by the Public Service Board.
Do I need to connect those dots?
If the Greshin amendment is adopted, his ski resort stands to save a pretty penny on its utility bills. It’s already passed the House; it’s now pending before the Senate.
Potential conflicts abound in a citizen Legislature, and there’s a sizable gray area. The single act of voting for a bill, in my mind, is not in itself grounds for a conflict investigation.
But Greshin’s case is a whole different kettle of fish for two reasons.
The Vermont Political Observer. 