News and Updates

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

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 …

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

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

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 …

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

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

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 …

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

Veto Override Falls Short in Senate

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 …

Veto Override Falls Short in Senate Read More »

Vermont House Easily Overrides Veto of Bottle Bill Legislation 

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 …

Vermont House Easily Overrides Veto of Bottle Bill Legislation  Read More »

2024 Legislative Priorities

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 …

2024 Legislative Priorities Read More »

VPIRG Announces Results of Mock Ranked Choice Voting Republican Presidential Primary Election 

The Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) today announced the results of the organization’s “Mock Ranked Choice Voting Republican Presidential Primary Election” for the Republican Presidential Primary.   VPIRG held the mock primary over a two-week period coinciding with much attention around the first official debate of the presidential primary season. The organization is one of …

VPIRG Announces Results of Mock Ranked Choice Voting Republican Presidential Primary Election  Read More »

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

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 …

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

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

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 …

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

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

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 …

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

Scroll to Top