Vermonters concerned about the state’s threatened bees and other pollinators are celebrating the July 1, 2025 implementation of legislation to restrict the application of toxic neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”) in the state. On June 17th, 2024, Vermont legislators overrode Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of H.706 (now Act 182) that phases out the use of nearly all …
Late yesterday, Gov. Phil Scott signed into law further restrictions on the use of toxic perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting gear, dental floss, cleaning products, and fluorine-treated containers. According to the Vermont Department of Health, PFAS exposure can lead to reproductive and developmental disorders, decreased antibody response to vaccines, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, certain types …
Just days after President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. to once again pull out of the Paris Climate Accord, Governor Phil Scott – reflected in the budget and policy proposals he put forward yesterday – called to fundamentally retreat from Vermont’s commitment to climate action. “While Gov. Scott’s rhetoric is very different from Trump’s, both …
Environmental and Business Groups Blast Governor for Retreating on Climate Action Read More »
VPIRG report provides consumers with tips for avoiding excessive and potentially toxic plastic packaging and products this holiday season. Nowhere on Earth is free from plastic pollution these days, from the highest mountaintops to the deepest ocean canyons. The problem gets worse each year and seems to peak during the holiday season when household trash …
Legislation authorizing the State of Vermont to recoup financial damages caused by climate change from major fossil fuel companies became law yesterday when Governor Phil Scott failed to sign or veto the bill during the constitutionally-mandated five-day consideration period. The enactment of S.259, the Climate Superfund Act, marks a new era in the effort to …
Montpelier, VT — In a dismaying attempt to obstruct Vermont’s environmental and economic progress, today Governor Scott vetoed compromise legislation aimed at modernizing the Renewable Energy Standard and setting the state on a path to delivering 100% renewable electricity by 2035. By vetoing H.289, which was supported by nearly all of the state’s electric utilities, …
Governor Scott’s Veto of Landmark Renewable Energy Bill is Short-Sighted Read More »
On May 7, the Vermont Senate passed H.289, to modernize the Renewable Energy Standard and set Vermont on a path to delivering 100% renewable electricity across all the state’s utilities by 2035. This would make Vermont only the second state to meet that critical benchmark, and would significantly increase the requirements for Vermont utilities to …
Vermont Senate Passes Modernized Renewable Energy Standard Read More »
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group hailed the passage of a comprehensive consumer data privacy bill Saturday. The bill, H.121, passed after a series of back-and-forth amendments between the House and Senate in the final days of the legislative session. VPIRG called the legislation a win for consumers, while recognizing that the final bill includes …
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 …
Climate Superfund Act Passes Vermont Legislature, Heads to Governor Phil Scott Read More »
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, …
