Thirteen hydroelectric dams on the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers are for sale, again. TransCanada outbid the state of Vermont in 2003 when these dams were last sold at auction. Now the state is opening a fresh debate over whether it wants to purchase and operate the power generating facilities.
The state has established a working group that's interested in three questions:
- The future economic value of the facilities
- The different ownership models that state could use
- Whether this purchase would further the state’s energy and environmental goals
The leader of that working group, Administration Secretary Justin Johnson, is our guest to explain the contours of the discussion.
Also on the program: The warm winter means that Vermont's deer herd will be the largest it's been in years - and a proposed big boost in the number of hunting permits issued. We're checking in with Fish and Wildlife deer project leader Nick Fortin on the lookout for deer population and this fall's hunting season.
Broadcast live on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
