Senate Votes to Close VT Yankee
February 23, 2010
By a margin of 26 to 4 the Senate voted to retire the aging Vermont Yankee nuclear plant as scheduled. This historic vote marks the first time a state legislature has been able to deny a nuclear plant a 20-year life extension. Find out how your senators voted here.
E-waste Passes the VT House
February 25, 2010
S.77 finally makes it possible for citizens to conveniently drop off the e-waste they’ve been collecting in their attics and basements to responsible collection centers for FREE. The e-waste will then be recycled to the greatest degree possible.
S.77 passed the Vermont Senate last year and cleared a major hurdle by passing the Vermont...
National progress on toxic chemical
December 21, 2009
VPIRG is thrilled to announce that the only two U.S. manufacturers of the toxic flame retardant Deca and the largest U.S. importer have agreed to a voluntary phase out of the chemical!
This is a huge victory for children's health and the environment. Under the agreement, the manufacturers will stop the production, importation, and sale of Deca for most uses in...
Vermont's most ambitious renewable energy bill yet
October 25, 2009
In the spring of 2009, VPIRG played an instrumental role in passing H. 446, Vermont’s most ambitious renewable energy bill to date. This bill puts Vermont on the map as a leader in the renewable energy revolution. It is the first statewide program in the nation establishing a fixed, fair rate for small scale renewable energy generation, allowing farms, business...
Reducing perscription drug marketing
October 25, 2009
S. 48, passed with VPIRG’s support in the spring of 2009, put patients over marketing and profit. It did away with a long-standing “trade secret” exemption that allowed pharmaceutical companies to hide most of their gifts to doctors in Vermont. By removing this exemption, the law allows more transparency of the financial relationships between drug companies and...
Protecting children and fire fighters
October 25, 2009
Toxic flame retardants are used in everything from TVs to mattresses and have been linked to cancer, liver damage, and other serious health effects. They are especially dangerous for children, who’s bodies are still developing, and fire fighters, who are often in danger of breathing in the fumes from smoldering products.
Cleaning up dirty salvage yards
October 25, 2009
Vermont is known for its pristine landscapes, yet an unknown number of junkyards litter our state with abandoned cars, stockpiled tires, and the dangerous pollution they produce. Many salvage yards are properly operated and maintained, but many others are endangering our waterways and the health of nearby communities.
Reducing the cost of staying warm, and spearheading renewable energy
September 1, 2008
After a gubernatorial veto in 2007 and a hard fought battle that summer, the tide turned in 2008. With VPIRG’s support, legislators passed S.209, the Vermont Energy Efficiency and Affordability Act. This bill will save Vermonters millions of dollars through heating and energy efficiency projects. It also spearheads the creation of new renewable energy generation in...
Helping reform Catamount Health
September 1, 2008
VPIRG helped continue reform Catamount Health in 2008. The bill passed gave an “amnesty period” for people with pre-existing conditions who signed up for Catamount Health before November 1, 2008. The bill also allows Vermonters who are currently in insurance plans with a deductible of $10,000 or more to access Catamount right now. Finally, the state will seek...
Getting lead out of our lives
September 1, 2008
Passed in 2008, S.152 is one of the most comprehensive lead product safety bills in the country. It limits lead in children’s projects, phases out lead in certain other consumer products including plumbing fixtures and non-residential paints and primers, and requires warnings to be posted at points of sale for products that could contain lead.
