Brattleboro Regional Peak Oil Task Force


At their May 21, 2007 meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard passed by a 3-2 margin the proposal made by Post Oil Solutions (POS) for a Regional Peak Oil Task Force.  This body, made up of  Brattleboro and Windham County residents has been meeting twice monthly (2nd, 4th Thursdays) since September of 2007.  Members of the Brattleboro Area Peak Oil Task Force presented their Interim Report  and Recommendations to the Selectboard during the Selectboard meeting on Feb 19, 2007.  Click here for that report.


THE FIRST STAGE: EDUCATION

  • The initial purpose of this Task Force will be to educate itself about Peak Oil, for the purpose of then reporting back to the Board within 6-9 months with its findings about peak oil.
  • This study of Peak Oil by the Task Force will be made as public as possible with presentations, talks, films, and the like, well advertised and made available to the larger community.
  • Finally, when the Task Force reports back on its findings, it will include a recommendation as to whether or not the Task Force found sufficient reason for the Board to pursue an effort to develop mitigation scenarios that the Selectboard and community could initiate in an effort to pro-actively deal with Peak Oil’s anticipated consequences.  

THE SECOND STAGE: DEVELOPING A TIMELY MITIGATION PLAN:

  • Should the Board then decide that there is sufficient cause to develop mitigation plans, it will direct its Task Force in such a manner, requesting that the latter return with plans and recommendations within one year, providing interim reports during the year.
  • In order to develop a comprehensive plan, the Task Force will also be expanded at this point into several sub-committees, that would include representation from all the vital sectors of the larger community--government, business, agriculture, social services, education, health care, and so forth so. Each of these sub-groups would be charged with the responsibility of working on and then reporting back within 12 months with a work-in-progress, ongoing plan of the mitigating steps they would advise their particular area of concern and expertise to initiate in order to prepare for peak oil.