H. 688, the Global Warming Solutions Act, which was vetoed just last week by Governor Phil Scott, will officially become law after the Governor’s veto was overridden in both the House and the Senate. These votes reaffirmed the legislature’s, and the Vermont peoples’, commitment to climate action, despite efforts to…
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Just two days after Governor Scott vetoed the Global Warming Solutions Act, the House of Representatives has voted to override that veto, surpassing the 100 votes needed to do so in a 103-47 vote. As the House was preparing for its ultimately successful override vote on Thursday, however, the chair…
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Update: You can find our take on Gov Scott’s veto below. As the House was preparing for its ultimately successful override vote on Thursday, however, the chair and vice chair of House Energy, Reps Tim Briglin (D-Norwich) and Laura Sibilia (I-Dover) spoke eloquently and in detail as to why, in…
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VPIRG Joins Broad Coalition of Groups Calling on Legislature to Override Governor’s Veto of the Global Warming Solutions Act Governor Scott has vetoed the Global Warming Solutions Act, which was overwhelmingly passed by both the Vermont House and Senate. The historic climate bill requires Vermont to reduce its climate-damaging emissions…
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On Wednesday, the Vermont House passed the finalized version of the Global Warming Solutions Act, officially sending it the Governor’s desk for final approval. The Solutions Act is the first major piece of climate legislation to pass in the VT legislature in years. It will effectively create a roadmap for…
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According to the EPA, environmental justice is “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” A goal which will be achieved “when everyone enjoys (1) the same…
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Today the Vermont Senate overwhelmingly voted to approve the Global Warming Solutions Act. After the final reading, the bill heads back to the House for final approval, before being sent to the Governor for his signature. We are grateful to President Pro Tem Tim Ashe, Majority Leader Becca Balint, Chairman…
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Today VPIRG joined with more than 40 Vermont businesses and organizations and over 600 individual Vermonters to deliver a letter to Vermont lawmakers thanking them for their work thus far to respond to the COVID-19 crisis in Vermont and for continuing to make action on the climate crisis a priority…
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Over the past two plus months, the legislature has been hard at work addressing the immediate needs of Vermonters as the COVID-19 crisis has unfolded. Legislators have passed or dug into putting a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, directing hazard pay to essential workers, enabling safe elections during the pandemic,…
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The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare many sobering realities. It has exposed the dire consequences of failing to listen to science and experts. It has highlighted that the communities most impacted by the coronavirus are also most at risk of experiencing climate disasters. It has also exposed extreme inequalities in safeguards for…
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