Students from the Policy Research Shop Present Their Report on Fossil Fuel Divestment


On Thursday, February 27th, three Policy Research Shop (PRS) students traveled to Montpelier, VT to deliver a formal testimony regarding their findings. Sean Connolly ’16, Katie Schultz ’16 and Nick Shallow ’16 testified before the Vermont Senate Government Operations Committee. The group was invited to present by Senator Anthony Pollina, who contacted the Rockefeller Center’s PRS to request a study related to Vermont State Bill S.131. The Senate Bill proposes “that the Vermont Pension Investment Committee divest from companies that extract, produce, or refine fossil fuels.” 

The PRS report, titled “Divestment from Fossil Fuel Investments: An Analysis of Potential Impacts and Strategies,” detailed the crucial fiduciary considerations that impact on the decision of whether or not to divest Vermont’s pension fund from its fossil fuel holdings. The audience included all Senators on the committee as well as representatives from lobbying organizations. Following the presentation, the senators and students discussed the implications of their research on Vermont’s decision regarding fossil fuel divestment, including possible amendments to S. 131 as a result of their testimony.

Review the report (PDF).