News and Updates

Climate Superfund Act Passes Vermont Legislature, Heads to Governor Phil Scott

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

The Vermont Senate gave final approval today to landmark legislation that holds the largest fossil fuel companies financially accountable for a portion of the costs of climate change. On a voice vote, senators approved final passage of the Climate Superfund Act (S.259). Earlier this month, 106 of the 150 members of the House of Representatives …

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Vermont House Passes Pollinator Protection Bill

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The Vermont House of Representatives gave its strong endorsement yesterday to legislation designed to protect bees and other pollinators in the state from toxic neonicotinoid pesticides, known commonly as neonics. The vote in the House was 112-29. The bill (H.706) has four main components: (1) it prohibits the use of field crop seeds (corn, soy, …

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Vermont House Passes Modernized Renewable Energy Standard

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The Vermont House of Representatives passed H.289 yesterday, to modernize Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard. The bill would put Vermont on track to achieve 100% renewable electricity across all the state’s utilities by 2035, which would make Vermont only the second state to meet that critical benchmark, and would significantly increase the requirements for Vermont utilities …

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REPORT: Vermont closer to passing 2nd-strongest privacy law in nation

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 The Vermont Data Privacy Act would be a meaningful win for consumers, says watchdog groups The Vermont House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation that, if enacted, would be the 2nd-strongest consumer data privacy law in the nation, according to a new report from the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center …

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Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee Advances S.259, the Climate Superfund Act:

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Effort to Hold Big Oil Accountable Clears Key Hurdle A key legislative committee approved the Climate Superfund Act, S.259, today. With a unanimous, tripartisan vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced this landmark legislation. Sen. Dick Sears (Bennington), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee stated, “The Climate Superfund Act builds on Vermont’s long tradition of holding …

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Pollinator supporters swarm the State House to urge legislators to protect bees from toxic pesticides

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Dozens of beekeepers, students, conservationists, environmental advocates, and pollinator enthusiasts of all sorts gathered at the State House to make the case for providing greater protections for bees and other pollinators. A key legislative committee took up the bill (H.706) with hopes of passing it, but at the end of the day the vote was …

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The legislature is updating the Renewable Energy Standard. What does that mean?

Climate & Energy, Efficiency & Electrification, News and Updates, Solar / By

In 2015, Vermont passed its Renewable Energy Standard, requiring Vermont electric utilities to provide 75% renewable electricity to their customers by 2032, of which 10% needed to be from smaller, newly-built renewables from here in Vermont.  Last week on a vote of 9-1 the House Environment and Energy Committee voted to pass H.289, the first …

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Veto Override Falls Short in Senate

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Popular legislation to modernize the Bottle Bill will have to wait another year. The Vermont state Senate fell short today in its attempt to override the governor’s veto of popular legislation that would have modernized the state’s 52-year-old Bottle Bill program. Seventeen senators voted to override and twenty were required in order to achieve the …

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Vermont House Easily Overrides Veto of Bottle Bill Legislation 

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The Vermont House of Representatives made quick work today of overriding Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of legislation designed to modernize the state’s popular Bottle Bill program. Even with five members who had supported the bill absent today, the vote was 112-32, an extraordinary margin for an override. Supporters included Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, and independents. Every …

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2024 Legislative Priorities

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

VPIRG is pursuing action on multiple fronts in the 2024 legislative session. From climate to consumer protection and toxics to democracy, we’re seeking progress that will improve the lives of Vermonters and demonstrate leadership at a time when that is sorely needed.    CLIMATE & CLEAN ENERGY  Make Big Oil Pay – Climate Change Superfund  Climate …

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