The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) today announced the results of the organization’s “Mock Ranked Choice Voting Republican Presidential Primary Election” for the Republican Presidential Primary. VPIRG held the mock primary over a two-week period coinciding with much attention around the first official debate of the presidential primary season. The organization is one of …
At the close of the 2023 legislative session, the Vermont Legislature overrode Governor Scott’s veto of the Affordable Heat Act (S.5), capping a 2 year effort with a victory for Vermonters and the climate. S.5 requires the Public Utility Commission to design a program to require fossil fuel importers to offer Vermonters incentives and up-front …
Polling Shows Vermonters Overwhelmingly Support Affordable Heat Read More »
Governor Phil Scott has vetoed legislation designed to update and substantially expand the scope of the state’s popular beverage redemption program, commonly known as the Bottle Bill. The proposed legislation passed last Tuesday when the House of Representatives concurred with a version of the bill approved by the Senate last month. The House action came …
Gov. Scott Vetoes Vermont’s Popular Bottle Bill Update Read More »
The Vermont Legislature gave final approval to legislation that would update and substantially expand the scope of the state’s popular beverage redemption program, commonly known as the Bottle Bill. The House of Representatives concurred on Tuesday with a version of the bill passed by the Senate last month. The House action came during a special …
Modernizing Vermont’s Popular Bottle Bill Is Now Up To Gov. Scott Read More »
Environmental leaders launched a new campaign today to hold the largest corporate climate polluters accountable for the tremendous damage their product has caused in Vermont. The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) led the effort – called “Make Big Oil Pay” – in a campaign kick-off event just outside City Hall in Burlington. The event …
New Campaign Aims To “Make Big Oil Pay” For Climate Damage in Vermont Read More »
Today, Vermont’s Governor signed into law S.137, a bill that gives municipal utility Burlington Electric Department the power to create new incentives to help high-volume gasoline users switch to electric vehicles. This is the first law in the country designed specifically to help low- and moderate-income drivers using extreme amounts of gasoline – more than …
The 2023 Vermont legislative session has come to a close, marking the halfway point of the 2023-2024 biennium. The VPIRG team secured a number of significant legislative victories – shepherding some landmark public interest policies into law, while making important progress on other bills that will need to brought across the finish line in 2024. …
A coalition of business, environmental, and equity-focused organizations called on the Vermont Legislature to override Governor Phil Scott’s veto of S.5, the Affordable Heat Act. This veto comes right on the heels of the Scott Administration’s release of the latest Vermont Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Forecast. This report projects Vermont will miss its legally …
In a significant step towards climate action, the Vermont House of Representatives passed S.5, the Affordable Heat Act, on a 98-46 roll call vote on second reading and, on final reading, they advanced the bill back to the Senate. This is important and necessary progress. Legislators on the House Committee on Environment and Energy worked …
Affordable Heat Act Passes the Vermont House of Representatives on 98-44 Vote Read More »
Today, the Vermont Senate voted 23-7 on Second Reading in favor of legislation to put ranked choice voting in place for Vermont’s 2028 Presidential Primary. The vote included support from Democrat, Republican, and Progressive/Democrat Senators. The bill (S.32) would also create a summer study committee to investigate and make recommendations on other statewide elections …
VT Senate Gives Initial Approval of Ranked Choice Voting Legislation Read More »
