The 2019 Vermont Legislative Session has officially ended – and once again, VPIRG, our members and our allies went toe-to-toe with the most powerful, big-moneyed interests there are and delivered major victories for Vermont’s people and our environment – including some landmark, first-in-the-nation achievements. Unfortunately this session also came with disappointments – particularly the failure …
We’re excited to announce that Vermont just enacted the best single-use plastics law in the nation! VPIRG has been leading the charge for bold legislation to address plastic pollution, and now Governor Phil Scott has responded by signing S.113, which represents the toughest anti-plastics legislation yet on the statewide level. S.113 bans troublesome plastic carryout …
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, cups, containers and straws are …
VT Lawmakers Approve Nation’s Strongest Anti-Plastic Pollution Legislation Read More »
The Senate has given final approval on a 30-0 vote to S.113 – legislation to address the problem of plastic pollution in Vermont. The Senate had previously given initial approval to the bill on a 27-3 vote. Though this is just the first step toward stopping the problem, if passed into law, S.113 would be …
Senate Approves Bill to Deal With Single-Use Plastic Pollution Read More »
In Montpelier on Election Day 2018, citizens voted overwhelmingly in favor of Article 4, marking the first major step in the fight against plastic pollution in Vermont’s capital city. The measure was an official charter change that would grant the City Council of Montpelier an additional power to regulate the distribution of single-use plastic products …
Conventional wisdom suggested that 2018 would be another year of very low voter participation in Vermont. After all, we didn’t have hot races for the US Senate or House, and in the last non-presidential election year – 2014 – Vermont experienced its worst voter turnout in more than 50 years. Boy did conventional wisdom get …
For more than two decades, we’ve been working to end the giveaway of millions of dollars in unclaimed bottle deposits to the beverage industry and put that money to work for Vermonters. Last night, the governor signed S.285, which finally reclaims the deposits and uses the money to help clean up Vermont’s water ways. This …
New law will use unclaimed Bottle Bill deposits for clean water Read More »
On May 22nd, Gov. Scott signed H.410 – legislation that expands Vermont’s appliance efficiency standards. Gov. Scott listened to the voices of Vermonters, as well as the vast majority of the Vermont House of Representatives and State Senate, which passed the bill on tri-partisan votes of 137-4 and 25-4, respectively. This law goes beyond current …
Passed: Expanded appliance efficiency standards! Read More »
Vermont consumers scored major victories this week when two VPIRG-supported digital consumer protection bills were enacted into law. On Tuesday, Gov Phil Scott signed the net neutrality bill (S.289) and let the data broker bill (H.764) become law without his signature. Net Neutrality By enacting this law Vermont has taken a critical step toward countering …
Net neutrality, data privacy bills enacted into law Read More »
On May 22nd, Gov. Scott signed H.676, which establishes a voluntary standard for establishing a pollinator-friendly habitat label on solar farms and recognizing solar installers that are leading the way in protecting and promoting pollinator species. Just like our work to make it easier to build solar on previously developed land such as rooftops, parking …
