News & Updates

Last month, Vermont legislators passed the most far-reaching statewide legislation in the nation to address the problem of single-use plastic pollution. Today, legislative champions of that bill joined with advocacy groups to urge Gov. Phil Scott to sign the legislation. The bill (S.113), had overwhelming support in both the Senate (30-0) and the House (120-24). It ...

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 of ...

Neonicotinoid insecticides threaten bees all over the Green Mountain State – which has serious implications for all of us. For instance, the UN just published a sobering report that highlights how crucial biodiversity is and how human activity, like the use of pesticides, is hurting biodiversity around the world. Just as concerning is the fact ...

Legislation to better protect kids from toxics is now on its way to Governor Scott’s desk for consideration following the Legislature’s final passage of S.55 on May 22.  If signed into law, the legislation will grant the Commissioner of Health greater authority to protect kids from dangerous chemicals in children’s products and collect better information on ...

On Wednesday Vermont’s Legislature passed S. 40, a landmark bill regulating lead in school and childcare center drinking water. After some tense debate between legislators in the House and Senate, a conference committee reached a final decision to set the action level for remediation at 4 parts per billion. They also pledged to set aside $3 ...

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 a ...

The canvass is off to an exciting start! Our team is growing rapidly, reaching more doorsteps and members each day. We have been knocking on doors in Essex, Randolph, Vergennes, Panton, Waltham, New Haven, Marshfield, and Plainfield, talking to Vermonters about our campaign to stop single use plastics. In the first three weeks of canvassing, over ...

Governor Scott signed a landmark bill on Thursday establishing drinking water standards for five perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – toxic chemicals that have been widely used in industry and consumer products since the 1950s. Known as “forever chemicals” because of their long lifespan, PFAS have been shown to increase cancer risk, impair immune system ...