Earlier this week, VPIRG held a press conference outside of the Lowe’s Home Improvement store in South Burlington as part of a national “Mind the Store” campaign urging Lowe’s to stop selling deadly paint strippers. Executive Director Paul Burns made brief remarks outside of the store and presented the store…
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In a sad day for Vermont’s children, the Vermont House was unable to secure the votes to override Governor Scott’s veto of S.103 – therefore, the veto is sustained and regrettably S.103 will not become the law here in Vermont. The vote was 94-53. The house needed 98 YES votes…
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As Washington D.C. continues to roll back progress on climate action and environmental protection, there’s a growing urgency to protect our planet for generations to come. This Earth Day, you can take three simple and timely actions to move Vermont forward on climate action and environmental protection: Support climate action…
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Yesterday, Gov. Phil Scott vetoed the first major bill to reach his desk as a response to the 2016 discovery of the toxic chemical PFOA in drinking water in Bennington County and elsewhere around Vermont. The bill, S.103, was aimed primarily at protecting children from toxic chemicals in their toys,…
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This past week, the Senate passed an amendment by Sen. Anthony Pollina (Washington County) to S.285, which would reclaim Vermonters’ nickels to fund recycling or other important state programs. This amendment must still win approval in the House, but this is a huge achievement that VPIRG has been working toward for…
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UPDATE (4/11/2018): Gov. Phil Scott could decide within hours whether to sign or veto new legislation that would protect kids in Vermont from harmful chemicals in children’s products. The bill (S.103) is on his desk, and industry lobbyists (chemical manufacturers, Associated Industries of Vermont and even some toy makers) are…
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Late last week, the House advanced their version of the budget in a 122-10 vote, and in it they included a ‘climate package’. This section of climate-related appropriations may ring a bell if you’ve been following our climate work this session! Specifically, the climate package includes: $120,000 for a…
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Wind energy is off the table in Vermont, thanks to the Scott Administration. The rules regarding sound from wind turbines, which Governor Scott supported, were the latest roadblock for wind energy in Vermont. Prior to that rule, there were just three projects under consideration in Vermont. Today, there is just…
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Earlier this week, the Vermont Senate passed S.197, VPIRG-backed legislation aimed at helping Vermonters who have been harmed by toxic substance release, by a 17-13 vote. We strongly believe that Vermonters deserve the right to be protected from toxic chemical exposure and to effectively seek justice against those who poisoned…
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It’s Town Meeting Week, which means that civic energy is buzzing throughout Vermont. In communities all across the state, Vermonters are coming together to cast their votes, discuss important issues with neighbors and meet with local legislators as part of this longstanding democratic tradition. Vermont has a long history of…
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