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Activists touting Bill McKibben’s endorsement of a local control ballot initiative targeting fracking in Colorado may be surprised to learn that the 350.org founder and leader of the “Keep-It-In-The-Ground” movement is opposed to local control in his home state of Vermont – when it comes to wind energy.

The revelation comes in a letter McKibben penned in which he says he “made a mistake” in endorsing Matt Dunne in Vermont’s Democratic gubernatorial primary election after he put out a statement noting that communities should have a right to say no to “large-scale” wind projects.  In response, McKibben writes:

“What happened on Friday? Dunne, who had been on the record as saying that he was a proponent of large scale wind and solar projects’ put out a press release guaranteeing local communities the right to block any wind project and saying that Vermont’s energy future lay in solar and small scale hydro.”

But Dunne’s position on wind energy in Vermont that caused McKibben to pull his endorsement is remarkably similar to ballot initiative language McKibben is touting in Colorado. From a fact sheet activist groups are using to promote the initiative:

“This ballot amendment to the Colorado Constitution will allow local governments to pass regulations, limits, including moratoria and bans, regarding oil and gas development.”

And from Dunne’s statement on “large-scale” wind projects:

“Large-scale ridgeline wind projects should only take place with the approval of the towns where the projects are located. As governor, I will ensure that no means no.”

In other words, McKibben is opposed ...