News and Updates

Protecting our Pollinators: A Lakeside Chat with Charlie Nardozzi and Samantha Alger

News and Updates, Toxics & Environmental Health / By

If you’re anything like me, you probably enjoy spending time in or around the garden in summertime. I love to watch the bees, butterflies, and other pollinators at work. But it turns out bees and nearly all pollinators are dying off at an alarming rate. Without bees, much of our food supply is in jeopardy. So VPIRG is …

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Statement of VPIRG Executive Director Paul Burns on the indictment of Donald Trump in the January 6 case

Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates / By

Today, in what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most important criminal cases in the history of our nation, former President Donald Trump was indicted on four counts related to his efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election: Even if this news was not surprising, it is and should be …

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The Climate Crisis is Here – And Big Oil Must Pay for it.

Climate & Energy, News and Updates / By

As flood waters recede and Vermonters begin to rebuild, two things are becoming clear.   Disasters like these are extraordinarily expensive. The costs to repair damage to homes and infrastructure will be astronomical, not to mention the destruction of priceless memories, heirlooms, and lives.  And second, this was not a fluke. Not too long ago, storms …

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Polling Shows Vermonters Overwhelmingly Support Affordable Heat

Climate & Energy, Global Warming Solutions, Heat Clean, News and Updates, Resources / By

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 …

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A logo with a blue fist holding a plastic water bottle, with the text "Modernize the Bottle Bill"

Gov. Scott Vetoes Vermont’s Popular Bottle Bill Update 

Bottle Bill, News and Updates, Press Releases, Zero Waste / By

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 …

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Modernizing Vermont’s Popular Bottle Bill Is Now Up To Gov. Scott

Bottle Bill, News and Updates, Press Releases, Zero Waste / By

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 …

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New Campaign Aims To “Make Big Oil Pay” For Climate Damage in Vermont

Canvass, Climate & Energy, News and Updates, Press Releases / By

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 …

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Vermont Enacts Groundbreaking Law to Help Highest-Need Drivers Switch to EVs, Save on Fuel Costs

Climate & Energy, News and Updates, Press Releases / By

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 …

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2023 Legislative Recap

Climate & Energy, Consumer Protection, Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates, Resources, Toxics & Environmental Health, Zero Waste / By

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. …

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Business, Environmental, and Social Equity Organizations Call on Legislature to Override Gubernatorial Veto of Affordable Heat Act 

Climate & Energy, Efficiency & Electrification, Global Warming Solutions, Heat Clean, News and Updates, Press Releases / By

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 …

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