S.110 – a wide-ranging data privacy and consumer protection law is on Governor Phil Scott’s desk. This VPIRG-supported bill contains a number of key provisions aimed at better protecting Vermonters’ personal information, informing them when their data has been compromised and keeping them out of unwanted ‘zombie contacts.’ S.110 was…
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An overwhelming majority of Vermonters are worried about global warming and support a wide range of actions to cut Vermont’s climate pollution. That’s according to poll commissioned by VPIRG and Vermont Conservation Voters – released on Wednesday. The alarming news (or at least the news about people being alarmed): 76%…
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Today, Governor Scott signed into law the most significant set of policies in years to expand and improve broadband internet access throughout the state. H.513 – the VPIRG-backed broadband expansion bill – increases the funding needed to boost state government support for local internet startups and establishes a state revolving…
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Vermont legislators have raised the bar when it comes to regulating the scourge of single-use plastics. S.113 – the single-use plastics bill – with overwhelming legislative support was sent to Gov. Phil Scott Wednesday. It takes aim at plastic bags, straws, drink stirrers and expanded polystyrene. “Single-use plastics like bags,…
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Today the Vermont House took one of the most significant steps in years to expand and improve broadband internet access throughout the state. The House passed H.513 – a VPIRG-backed broadband expansion bill – on an overwhleming 139-2 vote. In doing so, legislators have recognized that the largest telecom companies…
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The Vermont Senate gave final approval Thursday to a VPIRG-backed bill (S.110) aimed at protecting students and their parents from the misuse of data collected via educational software. The bill is modeled on legislation enacted in California in 2016 that prevents technology companies from using student data gathered via educational…
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Last week, VPIRG spoke to members of the Climate Solutions Caucus in the statehouse to outline the various pieces of the Volkswagen Settlements. Our Clean Energy Advocate, Kanika Gandhi, presented the group with a memo (see below) and described the state and federal level settlement outcomes. The caucus is pushing…
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Environmental and public health advocates and the mothers of two young men who recently died from methylene chloride exposure today filed a lawsuit against Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their failure to finalize a ban on the use of the lethal chemical in…
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Our children need safe drinking water – especially in their schools. This may seem obvious – but unfortunately schools across the nation have tested positive for lead and other contaminants. In Vermont this past fall, 16 schools had their water tested as part of a pilot water testing program and…
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Last week, Marriott International revealed that it suffered a breach of its Starwood reservation database. The breach exposed the personal information of up to 500 million people. The breach began back in 2014 and anyone who stayed at any of Marriott’s Starwood properties (i.e. W Hotels, St. Regis, Sheraton Hotels &…
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