Think a progressive state like Vermont is immune to conservative climate pushback? Think again! The Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity has landed, pouring money into campaigns to dismantle crucial environmental policies. It’s a classic battle of local grassroots versus big money influence. Will Vermont’s climate progress be reversed?
Vermont, a state often at the forefront of progressive movements, has become the latest battleground in a nationwide effort by conservative forces to dismantle climate action, spearheaded by the well-funded Koch network group, Americans for Prosperity.
For two decades, Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a political network founded by the libertarian oil billionaires Charles and David Koch, has systematically invested hundreds of millions into stalling environmental progress across the United States. Their established strategy involves local chapters actively obstructing clean energy standards, stringent clean car regulations, and carbon pricing initiatives at the state level, fundamentally shaping the modern Republican party’s stance on climate issues.
In a significant strategic shift, AFP launched its Vermont presence in March 2023, part of a broader 50-state initiative to engage traditionally progressive states. Over the past two and a half years, this influential group has spent substantial sums on mail and digital campaigns, specifically targeting critical Vermont climate policy like the Affordable Heat Act and advocating for the repeal of the Global Warming Solutions Act.
Ross Connolly, AFP’s 34-year-old northeast regional director, leads the organization’s efforts in Vermont, framing his work around deregulation and helping residents achieve the “American dream.” Despite acknowledging climate change, Connolly’s approach reflects a “made-for-Vermont” tone that subtly diverges from the Koch network influence history of climate science denial, while criticizing the state’s progressive legislative agenda and praising its Republican governor.
The financial might behind Americans for Prosperity campaigns in Vermont is starkly unfamiliar for a state where grassroots politics have historically thrived. With a national budget of $186 million, AFP’s substantial spending on political influence contrasts sharply with Vermont’s tradition of direct democracy, like Town Meeting Day, raising questions about external lobbying influence on local issues and genuine affordability claims.
AFP’s initial campaign in Vermont aggressively targeted Act 18, a first-of-its-kind climate policy designed to study a clean heat standard aimed at reducing fossil fuel emissions from home heating. While AFP claimed the law would lead to “energy price hikes,” advocates argued it would actually insulate Vermonters from price swings and facilitate transitions to sustainable energy sources, highlighting the contentious nature of environmental legislation.
The group’s entry into state politics hasn’t been without controversy, including a lobbying violation fine for mislabeling a mailer and an embarrassing incident where their misspelled website URL was purchased by the Vermont Democratic Party to redirect to pro-Democratic content. These missteps underscore the challenges faced by well-funded, out-of-state groups operating in Vermont’s unique political landscape, even as AFP claims significant local engagement.
Critics, including State Senator Anne Watson, argue that groups like AFP oppose the energy transition to protect the profits of their fossil fuel industry founders, urging Vermonters to recognize and question outside influence. This robust opposition demonstrates the ongoing struggle within Vermont to balance economic concerns with critical climate action reversal efforts, reflecting a broader national debate on environmental responsibility and political transparency.
