News & Updates
Lies of the Chemical Industry
May 10, 2012
Update from VPIRG Environmental Health Advocate, Lauren Hierl
– May 10, 2011
I knew the chemical industry couldn’t be trusted, but it’s way worse than I thought.
This week, the Chicago Tribune published a scathing series of articles about the underhanded tactics the chemical industry has used to stop regulators from banning toxic flame retardants. They lied in congressional testimony, partnered with the tobacco industry, and infiltrated fire fighter organizations. All that, when the billions of pounds of flame retardants they sell each year have been shown NOT to prevent fires! That takes some gall.…
2012 Legislative Accomplishments
May 8, 2012
The 2012 legislative session marked another busy and successful year in advocacy for the public interest. We came into the session with ambitious plans – from taking on the Oil and Gas Industry to ban fracking to initiating a campaign to require GMO labeling to standing up to health insurers and making sure they cover the medical care they should. We take our role as “Vermont’s Voice” in the State House seriously – bringing research and policy analysis, strong partnerships and principled organizing and advocacy to the fore.
Vermont Bans Fracking
May 4, 2012
The Vermont House of Representatives voted 103-36 today to give final passage to legislation that will make Vermont the first state in the nation to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas.
Legislative Updates: In Brief
May 4, 2012
The end of the legislative session is always lively. While things are changing by the minute, here’s a snapshot of where things stand with the public interest bills on the eve of the session’s close.
Campaign Finance Bill Buried
May 2, 2012
The Senate voted 19-9 to delay consideration of the campaign finance reform bill (S.20) for another year. The bill would have reestablished common sense limits on campaign contributions and required more disclosure from candidates (including the occupation and employer of their larger donors).
Bill Passed! Now Easier to Power with Renewables
May 1, 2012
Vermont leaders took another step in the right direction toward our clean energy future. The Vermont House unanimously passed a bill (H.475) that improves the State’s net metering program and makes it even easier for Vermonters to power their homes and businesses with renewable energy.
VPIRG launches ‘Clean Heat’ campaign
April 30, 2012
VPIRG is talking to Vermonters from every corner of the state this summer to help make a clean, affordable heating future a reality. Keeping our homes comfortable in the winter costs over a billion dollars a year and nearly $800 million of that goes right out of the state to pay for dirty fossil fuels. Making Vermont’s comfortable, affordable heating future a reality wouldn’t only save money – it’s what’s right for our economy and the environment.
Anti-Wind Amendment Defeated
April 27, 2012
Late in the evening on Thursday April 26th the Senate debated and ultimately defeated one of the most anti-environmental pieces of legislation that’s been proposed all year. Despite strong evidence that an overwhelming majority of Vermonters support clean energy development, and wind power as a vital piece, a group of Senators tried to insert a moratorium on renewable wind energy projects as a part of the state budget.
After a lengthy debate that seemed out of place in Vermont, the surprise amendment was defeated on an 11-18 roll call vote. Each of the senators who voted against the amendment deserves credit. The champions who eloquently defended clean energy on the floor during the debate included Senators Ginny Lyons, Richard Westman and Claire Ayer, among others.…
Health Care Justice Prevails in Montpelier
April 25, 2012
Vermonters won two big health care victories in the State House this week.
The big health reform bill (H.559) passed the Senate by a vote of 20-7. The bill lays the groundwork for Vermont’s health insurance exchange, a requirement of the federal Health Care Law, and moves us one step closer to a health care system that is both universal and affordable. We’re in the home stretch! The bill now heads to the final stage of lawmaking: a “conference committee” comprised of House and Senate members who will work out the differences of House and Senate versions of the bill and secure final passage.…
Now Available: Video from Fracking Forum
April 23, 2012
On March 28, 2012, over 250 local activists, community members, and legislators filled the ballroom at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier to join a discussion on the implications of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” for natural gas in Vermont. VPIRG co-hosted a public forum alongside VNRC, and 350.org bringing International, and local experts to tell their stories. The panelist included Bill McKibben – author, environmentalist and Schumann Distinguished Scholar, Middlebury College, Paul Burns – Executive Director, VPIRG, Wes Gillingham – Program Director, Catskill Mountainkeepers, a leading anti-fracking group in NY, Tracy Bach – Professor of Law, Vermont Law School, and Ginny Lyons – Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee.…
